US judge rejects BBC bid to dismiss Trump defamation suit

WASHINGTON: A federal judge has allowed US President Donald Trump’s multibillion-dollar defamation suit against the BBC to proceed, rejecting a bid by the British broadcaster to dismiss the case.

Trump has accused the BBC of deceptively editing a documentary to make it seem as if he was inciting violence when he told supporters to march on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

He has sought at least $5 billion each for one claim of defamation and a separate claim under a Florida consumer protection law.

US District Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz on Tuesday rejected the BBC’s bid to dismiss the defamation suit, but tossed the Florida protection law claim.