August 7, 2026 | 10:21 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A US federal judge has temporarily blocked an order requiring President Donald Trump to provide detailed financial records of his business empire to the BBC as part of his defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster, as reported by The Guardian.
US District Judge Roy Altman issued the temporary pause while reviewing Trump’s request to revise and narrow his claims in the lawsuit, which stems from a 2024 BBC documentary that Trump alleges damaged his reputation and business interests.
The decision came after Trump’s legal team challenged a discovery order that would have allowed the BBC access to extensive financial information related to hundreds of businesses held through the Trump family trust.
Altman’s four-page order, issued on Wednesday and made public Thursday, said Trump’s proposal to remove claims that the documentary harmed his brand and businesses could reduce the BBC’s need to obtain his financial records.
“This is a compelling argument,” Altman wrote, as quoted by Politico.
Dispute Over Relevance of Trump’s Financial Records
The financial records request was part of the evidence-gathering phase in Trump’s multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the BBC.
Last month, a Miami-based judge ordered Trump to begin producing the documents by August 6, including financial details involving his business holdings.
Trump’s attorneys argued that the BBC’s request was overly broad and driven by political motives. They asked the court to suspend the order while Trump sought to amend his complaint, shifting the focus from alleged damage to his businesses toward reputational harm.
The BBC, however, argued that Trump’s business value remains relevant because his public image has long been tied to his identity as a businessman.
The broadcaster’s lawyers also noted that Trump’s proposed amended lawsuit, which has not yet been made public, still seeks $10 billion in damages. They argued that such a figure would be difficult to justify if the case only involved reputational injury.
Lawsuit Over BBC Documentary
According to The Guardian, yhe lawsuit, filed last December, centers on a segment from the BBC documentary Trump: A Second Chance, which examined Trump’s role surrounding the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Trump claims the documentary defamed him by editing parts of his speech in a way that suggested he directly encouraged supporters to engage in violence.
The BBC has apologized for the editing but maintained that the allegations lack legal merit. The broadcaster has also sought to have the case dismissed, arguing in part that the court in South Florida may lack jurisdiction over the London-based organization.
If Altman allows Trump to amend his complaint, the case could face further delays as the BBC would have another opportunity to challenge the revised lawsuit.
Trump’s Broader Legal Battles With Media Outlets
The BBC case is part of a broader series of legal actions Trump has launched against media organizations over coverage he considers defamatory or unfair.
In a separate case, Trump’s lawyers have pushed forward a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journalover a report involving a letter allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump’s administration has also taken legal action against media organizations. His Justice Department issued subpoenas to The New York Times journalists over reporting related to security concerns involving Air Force One before later withdrawing the subpoenas.
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