BBC Seeks Subpoenas of Trump Family in Defamation Fight
The broadcasting giant has moved to summon members of former President Donald Trump’s family—his son Donald Trump Jr., daughter Ivanka Trump and son‑in‑law Jared Kushner—to provide documents and sworn testimony. The request is a key part of the BBC’s response to Trump’s $10 bn (£7.4 bn) defamation suit over a 2023 Panorama episode.
U.S. court filings show that in May 2024 BBC lawyers attempted to serve the subpoenas in person. One representative tried to deliver a subpoena to the Trump estate in Florida but was denied entry at a police checkpoint. Another attempt to serve Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in New York was met with a refusal from the concierge. A later attempt to serve the documents to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at their Florida home was rejected by the Secret Service, which said it could not accept the subpoenas. In each case the BBC reportedly was told the receiving party was unavailable or unresponsive.
The court documents argue that the requested witnesses had “personal knowledge” of the president’s intentions in delivering the key speech outside the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021. The subpoenas also tie in evidence gathered by a U.S. congressional committee that shows Trump Jr. and Ivanka were present when the father revised the statement, while Jared Kushner drafted a statement condemning violence.
BBC’s legal filing states that the subpoenas will now be served by certified mail and e‑mail, citing the previous failures to hand‑deliver them. The court’s decision on these requests could have implications for the defendant’s ability to compel testimony from the Trump family.
The subpoena move underscores the broader clash between Trump and the BBC. Trump sued the broadcaster in December 2023 in Florida for allegedly “intentionally, maliciously and deceptively doctoring” his speech. The BBC apologized for an editing error that gave the “mistaken impression” the president called for violent action, though it maintains the episode did not meet defamation criteria and was not streamed on U.S. platforms.
A judge’s August 6 ruling granted Trump’s request to delay the submission of financial records, citing “irreparable harm.” The case, still pending, is scheduled for trial in February 2027.
