# How can a Federal judge issue "sanctions" against Trump in a civil lawsuit?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-federal-judge-issue-sanctions-against-trump-in-a-civil-lawsuit/1033910>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Tags:** trump\
**Created:** [October 17, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-federal-judge-issue-sanctions-against-trump-in-a-civil-lawsuit/1033910 "2026-10-17T14:24:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-federal-judge-issue-sanctions-against-trump-in-a-civil-lawsuit/1033910/21 "2026-10-22T08:40:57Z")

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I suspect that the BBC have realised that they may well be playing from a position of strength here. They can tie the case up and present Trump’s side with only unpalatable options.  
Taking on the BBC isn’t something I would be doing. A loss is near impossible to enforce. Maybe demand a slice of the BBC international sales in the US from now until the Sun goes cold. It is unlikely to be more.

The BBC is often accused of a left bias, which despite protestations, has some truth. The danger for Trump is that some part of the BBC hierarchy starts to regard this as a sport - Trump baiting.

Demanding much the same amount of money as the entire HS2 rail project is not going to win him any political leverage over the BBC.

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**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-a-federal-judge-issue-sanctions-against-trump-in-a-civil-lawsuit/1033910/22 "2026-10-22T13:17:10Z")

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> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#):
>
> Taking on the BBC isn’t something I would be doing. A loss is near impossible to enforce. Maybe demand a slice of the BBC international sales in the US from now until the Sun goes cold. It is unlikely to be more.

I would guess, though, that the threat of a seizure of the American IP to its shows and franchises would put quite a pressure on the BBC to comply with an American judgment.

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