A US federal judge has temporarily halted an order requiring Donald Trump to turn over detailed financial information about his business empire to the BBC. The order was part of an ongoing libel lawsuit.
US District Judge Roy Altman issued the temporary pause while he considers Mr Trump’s request to revise and narrow parts of his lawsuit against the BBC. The lawsuit relates to a 2024 documentary that aired in the UK.
Mr Trump's legal team sought to stop the discovery order, which would have given the BBC access to his financial records in the multibillion-dollar case. Last month, a Miami-based judge had ruled that Mr Trump would need to begin producing extensive financial records by 6 August, including information covering hundreds of businesses held by the Trump family trust.
On Wednesday, Mr Trump’s attorneys asked the court to temporarily suspend that order, arguing the BBC had demanded a “shockingly broad amount of information based on clearly political motivations”. Judge Altman stated that Mr Trump's effort to remove claims that the documentary damaged his brand and businesses could reduce the BBC’s need for his financial records. Mr Trump's lawyers are seeking to narrow the claim to alleged reputational harm.
The BBC has argued that Mr Trump’s business value remains relevant because his public reputation was closely linked to his success as a businessman. The broadcaster's lawyers also noted that Mr Trump’s proposed amended complaint, which has not yet been made public, still seeks $10bn in damages, an amount they contend would be difficult to support if the case was based only on reputational harm.
The lawsuit centres on a scene from the BBC documentary Trump: A Second Chance, which edited portions of Mr Trump’s 6 January 2021 speech. The BBC has apologised for the edit but maintains the defamation allegations lack merit.