Judge orders Trump to sit for BBC deposition by Dec. 11

Why the date matters: Trump had been scheduled to be deposed Oct. 16 but canceled, citing "a matter of national importance." BBC attorney Charles Tobin called that "fake news," telling the court it was a political rally and a fundraiser: "He was participating in party politics and supported his candidates in the election, and he prioritized that over his obligations in this proceeding." Trump's lawyers proposed late January; discovery closes Dec. 18, and Lett said the date can move only if U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz extends discovery.

The underlying dispute: Trump sued over a BBC documentary that spliced together parts of his Jan. 6, 2021, speech at the Ellipse. The BBC has acknowledged the splice but argues Trump was not defamed or damaged and notes the program never aired in the United States.

The case for Trump's side: A spokesman for Trump's legal team said, "President Trump's powerhouse lawsuit is holding the BBC accountable for its defamation and reckless election interference just as he has held other fake news mainstream media responsible for their wrongdoing." The broadcaster's own acknowledgment that the speech was edited is the core of the claim.

The case for the BBC: BBC attorney Sasha Dudding argued Trump contends "this 12-second edit that aired in England costs him $10 billion," and the BBC lawyers added, "If he had truly been harmed by this documentary, we would expect to see a loss." Lett agreed that the BBC's subpoena seeking Mar-a-Lago membership application and fee information "falls within" what should be turned over. The BBC declined to comment to NBC on the ruling.

Weak spot (Trump's side): Brito argued the Mar-a-Lago subpoena should be quashed because Trump is not claiming the show affected the business, but Tobin pointed out the suit itself says the documentary "injured President Trump in his profession, occupation and trade." The judge sided with the BBC on that point, and the program never aired in the U.S.

Weak spot (BBC's side): The BBC is not disputing that the speech was spliced; its defense rests on whether that edit caused legally recognizable harm, which a jury could weigh differently than the broadcaster does.

Still pending: Brito asked Lett to quash a BBC subpoena for former special counsel Jack Smith, arguing his information is secondhand and that he would need Justice Department permission to testify. The BBC said in a filing it is "difficult to imagine a more authoritative source on these issues than Mr. Smith." Lett asked for more information and will rule later.

What's still unknown: Whether Kuntz extends discovery, whether Trump sits before Dec. 11, and how Lett rules on the Jack Smith subpoena.

Sourcing: NBC News was in the hearing and is the main source for the rulings and quotes; AP, the Guardian, the BBC and NPR reported the same order. The Dec. 11 deadline and the Mar-a-Lago and Jack Smith subpoena details come from NBC's account of Thursday's hearing.