BBC requests testimony from Trump family in $10 billion defamation case
The BBC has asked a U.S. court to compel Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. to provide documents and testimony for the former president's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster.
The British broadcaster has petitioned a federal court in Florida to obtain documents and testimony from members of President Donald Trump’s family in connection with his $10 billion defamation claim. In a filing, BBC lawyers said Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. possess "personal knowledge" and likely hold records relevant to the plaintiff’s allegations.
The suit, filed in December, accuses the BBC of defamation and unfair trade practices over a 2024 documentary that edited a speech Trump gave on Jan. 6, 2021. The filing alleges the edit spliced together separate portions of the speech, misrepresenting Trump’s remarks and attempting to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The BBC has apologized for the edit but maintains it did not defame the former president.
Because the three family members are protected by the Secret Service, the broadcaster has been unable to serve subpoenas. The BBC asked the court to allow service by email and certified mail and urged Trump to either accept the subpoenas on their behalf or direct the Secret Service to permit service; Trump declined. A judge has given Trump’s legal team until Friday to respond.
Trump’s attorneys responded that the BBC is trying to distract from its own liability and described the deposition request as harassment. The case is scheduled for a provisional trial in February, while a separate order requiring Trump to disclose details of his business finances has been temporarily paused pending an amended complaint.