The BBC has formally requested that a U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida authorize subpoenas for three members of Donald Trump’s family. The move is part of the British broadcaster’s legal defense against a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by the former president, according to court documents released on Friday.
The network’s legal team is seeking permission to serve subpoenas to Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner. The BBC argues that these individuals are material witnesses who possess personal knowledge and potential records relevant to the claims in the lawsuit, which centers on events surrounding the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The litigation, initiated by Mr. Trump in December, alleges that the BBC engaged in defamation and unfair trade practices. The complaint focuses on a 2024 BBC Panorama documentary that edited a speech delivered by the former president in Washington shortly before the Capitol riot. Mr. Trump’s attorneys contend that the network “intentionally and maliciously” misled viewers by splicing together two clips from the speech, which were recorded 55 minutes apart, to create a false impression that he was calling for violence.
The lawsuit further claims that the edit omitted a portion of the speech where Mr. Trump called for peace. While the BBC publicly apologized last year, acknowledging that the video created a “mistaken impression” regarding the president’s intent, the network has maintained that the broadcast does not constitute grounds for a defamation claim. The BBC has also confirmed it will not air the program again.
In its latest filing, the BBC detailed previous unsuccessful attempts to serve the family members in May. Representatives for the network were reportedly blocked by local law enforcement while trying to reach Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at their Florida residence, and were later informed by the Secret Service that the agency could not accept legal documents on the couple’s behalf.
Attempts to serve Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in New York were similarly frustrated. According to the court records, a BBC representative was told by a concierge that the staff member responsible for receiving such documents was at lunch. A subsequent attempt two days later was rejected on the grounds that the “legal department” was unavailable.
The BBC’s motion highlights congressional records as evidence of the family’s relevance to the case. These documents suggest that both Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump were in the Oval Office while the president was refining his January 6 speech. Additionally, records indicate that Jared Kushner drafted a statement for the president condemning the violence, and that Donald Trump Jr. communicated directly with his father after the Capitol was breached.
A spokesperson for Mr. Trump’s legal team issued a statement on Monday accusing the BBC of “seeking to harass” the former president and his family by “abusing the deposition process.” The statement characterized the move as a distraction from the network’s own liability.
The court has directed Mr. Trump’s legal counsel to respond to the BBC’s filing by Friday. Alejandro Brito, the attorney representing the former president in this matter, did not provide an immediate comment when contacted by on Monday. The BBC, which is an international partner of, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. The report also notes that 6, 2021, during the assault on the U.S. The report also notes that in previous court filings related to the suit, Mr. The report also notes that but it has argued since Mr, the network said it would not show the 2024 program again. The report also notes that sought comment Monday from Mr. The report also notes that trump’s attorneys have argued that the BBC sought to make it seem like the president had explicitly called for violence and rioting during the speech. The report also notes that where lawmakers were soon to vote to confirm national election results in favor of former President Joe Biden, trump had directed his supporters to go to Capitol Hill.
