A federal judge has granted President Donald Trump's request to amend his complaint in a defamation lawsuit against the BBC, allowing him to modify his original lawsuit and potentially pursue additional claims.
The lawsuit, filed in December, alleges that the BBC defamed Trump by editing a documentary about the January 6 Capitol riot to make it appear as though he had called for violence from his supporters. Trump is seeking $10 billion in damages, with $5 billion for defamation and $5 billion for violating Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
United States District Judge Roy K. Altman sided with Trump, granting him permission to file an amended complaint and dismissing the BBC's previous motion to dismiss as "moot." The decision allows Trump to focus on personal reputational harm in his revised complaint.
The controversy surrounding the documentary has led to scrutiny of the BBC's editorial standards and the resignations of its CEO Deborah Turness and Director-General Tim Davie last year. The BBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest development in the lawsuit.
Trump must file the new version of the complaint by Monday, and the BBC will have the opportunity to file a new motion to dismiss targeting the revised allegations.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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