LONDON (AP) 鈥� The BBC filed a motion Monday asking a U.S. court to dismiss President Donald Trump鈥檚 against it, warning that the case could have a 鈥渃hilling effect鈥� on robust reporting on public figures and events.
The suit was filed in a Florida court, but the British national broadcaster argued that the court did not have jurisdiction, nor could Trump show that the BBC intended to misrepresent him.
Trump filed a lawsuit in December over the way a BBC documentary edited a speech he gave on Jan. 6, 2021. The claim seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and a further $5 billion for unfair trade practices.
Last month a judge at the federal court for the Southern District of Florida for February 2027.
The BBC argued that the case should be thrown out because the documentary was never aired in Florida or the U.S.
鈥淲e have therefore challenged jurisdiction of the Florida court and filed a motion to dismiss the president鈥檚 claim,鈥� the corporation said in a statement.
In a 34-page document, the BBC also argued that Trump failed to 鈥減lausibly allege facts showing that defendants knowingly intended to create a false impression.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 case 鈥渇alls well short of the high bar of actual malice,鈥� it said.
The document further claimed that 鈥渢he chilling effect is clear鈥� when Trump is 鈥渁mong the most powerful and high-profile individuals in the world, on whose activities the BBC reports every day.鈥�
鈥淓arly dismissal is favoured given the powerful interest in ensuring that free speech is not unduly burdened by the necessity of defending against expensive yet groundless litigation, which would constrict the breathing space needed to ensure robust reporting on public figures and events,鈥� it said.
The documentary 鈥� titled 鈥淭rump: A Second Chance?鈥� 鈥� was aired days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The program spliced together three quotes from two sections of a speech Trump made on Jan. 6, 2021, into what appeared to be one quote, in which Trump appeared to explicitly encourage his supporters to storm the Capitol building.
Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
Trump’s lawsuit accuses the BBC of broadcasting a 鈥渇alse, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction” of him, and called it 鈥渁 brazen attempt to interfere in and influence鈥� the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The to Trump over the edit of the speech, admitting that it gave 鈥渢he impression of a direct call for violent action.鈥� But the BBC rejects claims it defamed him. The furor triggered the resignations of the BBC鈥檚 last year.
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