BBC seeks to subpoena Trump’s family members in defamation fight
The BBC is pushing for legal orders to compel former President Donald Trump’s son, daughter and son‑in‑law to provide testimony and documents while it defends itself in a U.S. lawsuit that could see it fined $10 billion (£7.4 billion).
Court records show BBC lawyers attempted in May to serve subpoenas on Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, but delivery was repeatedly denied: police checkpoints blocked a courier at the Florida home, the Secret Service ruled it could not accept the papers and a New York concierge said the legal department was unavailable.
The claim stems from a 2024 Panorama episode that spliced parts of a speech Trump gave before the January 2021 Capitol riot, creating the impression he called for violent action. Although the BBC has issued an apology for the editing mistake, it denies the clip was defamatory and argues it was not carried on any U.S. platform.
The subpoena filings argue that the family members had “personal knowledge” of the president’s motives and therefore their testimony is relevant. BBC lawyers are asking the court to allow the subpoenas to be served via email or certified mail, citing the Guardian's earlier failed attempts by hand.
This legal move follows Trump’s earlier victory to postpone the BBC’s provision of its own financial records—a request that the court granted on 6 August. Trump’s legal team has also agreed to drop the BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Studios, asserting it had no role in producing the documentary.
The trial, should it progress, is scheduled for February 2027. The BBC’s lawyers are urging the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the documentary did not meet the legal definition of defamation and was not available in the U.S.
