Donald Trump has dropped BBC Studios from a defamation lawsuit that seeks $10 billion [1] in damages.
The move narrows the scope of a high-stakes legal battle between the former U.S. president and the UK public broadcaster. By removing this specific entity, the legal team may be attempting to streamline the case as it moves toward a trial.
Trump originally filed the defamation suit in December 2025 [2] in a U.S. federal court. The lawsuit alleges that the broadcaster defamed him in a broadcast, leading to the request for $10 billion [1], approximately £7.49 billion [1], in damages.
While BBC Studios is no longer a target in the litigation, the rest of the case remains active. Legal filings from this week indicate that the remainder of the suit will proceed under the current court schedule.
The court has set a trial date for February 2027 [3] to resolve the remaining claims. The legal process continues to examine the specific broadcasts and statements that Trump alleges caused him harm.
This adjustment to the plaintiff's list of defendants comes as the case enters a more critical phase of discovery and preparation. The focus now shifts to the remaining entities within the BBC organization that are still named in the original filing.
“Trump dropped part of his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.”
The decision to remove BBC Studios suggests a tactical narrowing of the legal target to avoid potential dismissals or to focus on the primary editorial decision-makers. However, with $10 billion still on the line and a trial date set for early 2027, the financial and reputational risks for the BBC remain significant regardless of which specific subsidiary is named.
