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source_url: https://www.thedailybeast.com/desperate-trump-tries-to-dodge-being-put-under-oath-in-bbc-lawsuit
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Desperate Trump Tries to Dodge Being Put Under Oath
The president’s deposition was originally set for October 16, but his team demanded a last-minute delay.
President Donald Trump was set to be deposed in his lawsuit against the BBC on Friday, but his team is trying to delay his questioning until next year.
The president [sued](https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-files-doomed-new-10-billion-lawsuit-over-edit-of-his-speech) the BBC in December, claiming it had defamed him by “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively” editing two parts of his Jan. 6, 2021, speech to make it seem as though he had encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol.
The complaint claims the editing damaged the value of Trump’s brand, properties, and businesses, but Trump’s lawyers now say he is too busy and won’t be able to sit for the deposition, despite having plenty of notice.
The BBC’s lawyers are asking the court to help them set a time to depose the president before the discovery window in the lawsuit closes in December.
Trump’s team agreed in late July to have the president deposed on October 16, according to the filing. At the time, Trump’s lawyers indicated that details on the location would follow. But since then, they’ve been largely met with radio silence.
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“BBC’s counsel reached out again on September 16, 2026, seeking to confirm a location, agreeing not to disclose that location publicly, and inquiring whether the BBC would need to provide the names of those attending the deposition. Plaintiff’s counsel indicated that he was ‘inquiring’ and would ‘get back’ to the BBC with a response. He did not,” the filing detailed.
When they followed up again on September 24, Trump’s lawyer indicated four days later that he “is no longer available for his deposition on October 16 due to other matters of national importance,” but he then failed to follow up as indicated with a proposed replacement date by the end of the week.
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“On October 7, 2026, the BBC again asked Plaintiff to identify a new date, time, and location for his deposition. Plaintiff once more did not do so,” the filing stated.
When the BBC threatened to file a motion with the court, Trump’s lawyers responded with a more detailed response but claimed Trump would not be available until next year.
“Plaintiff’s counsel informed the BBC’s counsel that Plaintiff has no availability whatsoever for a deposition before discovery is set to close on December 18, 2026,” the filing read. “Plaintiff’s counsel proposed seeking to extend the discovery period and insisted that if the BBC agreed, Plaintiff would make himself available for a deposition in the second or third week of January 2027. He did not provide any specific date.”
The Republican National Committee announced on Monday that Trump will be traveling to Georgia on October 16, the day he is supposed to be providing his deposition, for a midterm rally in Dalton.
The BBC’s lawyers acknowledged that scheduling a deposition with a U.S. president “requires additional planning,” and said they were willing to work with that, but stressed its importance.
“Nearly eight months into discovery, after seven depositions of BBC witnesses, and with only two months of discovery remaining, the BBC still has not been able to depose, and does not even have a schedule to depose, the most central figure in this case: Plaintiff himself,” the BBC motion stated.
The network’s lawyers also pointed out in the motion that the president brought the lawsuit and put himself in the very position he’s now trying to avoid: “Plaintiff chose to file this lawsuit and, in doing so, he accepted the obligations of civil litigation.”
While Trump was headed to Alaska on Tuesday, he also has two rallies scheduled for Wednesday before his visit to Georgia on Friday.
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