The BBC is urging a federal court to dismiss President Donald Trump’s massive $10 billion defamation lawsuit, arguing that pursuing the case could have significant ramifications for global media companies.

In a motion filed on Monday in a Miami federal court, the British broadcasting corporation challenged Trump’s amended complaint stemming from a documentary titled “Panorama” that aired last year.

The lawsuit alleges that the BBC misrepresented Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech in a way that falsely suggested he incited the violent assault on the Capitol.

While the BBC has apologized for the editing choices that led to critical interpretations of Trump’s words, it steadfastly refuses to pay any damages, asserting that the core of Trump’s claims lacks validity.

The filing highlights that the revised lawsuit does not contest claims made in the documentary regarding Trump’s relationship with his supporters, who have described him as a “cult leader.”

Notably, defendants in trials related to the Capitol riot have cited Trump’s words as encouragement for their actions, which the BBC argues further undermines Trump’s claims.

“Based on the clear record established in robust jurisdictional discovery, Plaintiff lacks any good-faith basis to ask this Court to exercise jurisdiction over the BBC,” the media outlet stated in its filing.

The BBC’s defense hinges on its assertion that the documentary was never broadcast in the United States and that it employed geo-blocking to prevent American access to its iPlayer streaming service.

Trump’s legal team contends that 34 individuals in Florida used virtual private networks, or VPNs, to watch the documentary, a move the BBC has labeled legally reckless.

“Exercising jurisdiction based on the mere possibility of unauthorized access via VPN… would upend personal jurisdiction jurisprudence and have massive implications for foreign companies with online presences,” the BBC added.

The BBC further points out that these 34 alleged access attempts represent only 0.006% of the documentary’s total streams, raising questions about the legitimacy of Trump’s claims.

Trump’s request for damages has evolved markedly, from an initial $1 billion threat to a $5 billion lawsuit, ultimately swelling to a $10 billion claim, all rooted in alleged reputational harm.

The controversy has already had real-world consequences for the BBC, leading to the resignations of former Director-General Tim Davie and former head of news Deborah Turness.

The BBC’s motion emphasizes the potential chilling effect of Trump’s lawsuits on media coverage, particularly considering his platform and the significant scrutiny he faces.

When the documentary aired, Trump was already embroiled in multiple indictments regarding his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election, calling into question the novelty of any reputational damage from the film.

The filing noted that statements made by individuals charged in the January 6 riots directly contradict Trump’s claims of injury, describing his remarks as a prompt to action.

In one instance, a Proud Boys member testified that he was acting in response to Trump’s call to “stop the steal” during that infamous speech, highlighting the link between Trump’s words and the riot.

Trump has characterized the BBC’s apology as evidence of “actual malice,” yet the BBC argues that acknowledging a potential mistake does not satisfy that legal standard.

Ultimately, the BBC posits that Trump’s supplemental lawsuit under Florida’s consumer protection law, which he claims is a violation of the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, is equally flawed.

The ongoing legal battle exemplifies the tensions between media freedom and political power, with major implications for how foreign media outlets might operate in the U.S.