A federal judge has cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC to move forward, scheduling the case for trial in early 2027, according to The Associated Press.

The US District Court for the Southern District of Florida has tentatively set February 15, 2027, as the start date for a two-week trial. The ruling followed Judge Roy K. Altman’s decision to deny the BBC’s request to postpone the proceedings.

Trump brought the lawsuit in December, claiming that the BBC manipulated footage of his January 6, 2021 speech in a manner that defamed him and violated trade laws. He is seeking $5 billion in damages for defamation and an additional $5 billion for what he alleges were unfair trade practices.

The legal action stems from a documentary aired by the BBC’s “Panorama” program shortly before the 2024 presidential election. According to the complaint, the program combined segments from different portions of Trump’s speech to suggest that he urged supporters to “march with me and fight like hell.” The broadcast did not include a segment in which Trump called on supporters to protest peacefully.

While the BBC issued an apology acknowledging an editing mistake, the broadcaster rejected the accusation that it defamed Trump. The fallout from the controversy resulted in the resignations of the organization’s chief executive and its head of news.

The BBC had moved to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the Florida court did not have jurisdiction because the documentary was not aired in the state and asserting that Trump’s complaint failed to establish a valid legal claim. The network also asked the court to pause the discovery phase, which would compel it to produce internal communications and documents related to its reporting on Trump. Judge Altman ruled that the request for a delay was “premature,” permitting the case to proceed on schedule.

In response to the latest ruling, the BBC declined to elaborate, stating only, “We will be defending this case.”