US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett issued a ruling on Tuesday requiring Trump to reveal financial details from his numerous businesses as part of a $10 billion defamation action against the British Broadcasting Corporation, according to multiple news reports.
Trump filed the lawsuit late last year seeking damages over a 2024 documentary titled “Trump, A Second Chance,” which included footage from a speech Trump delivered to supporters before the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. Trump’s legal team contends that the documentary improperly edited the footage by splicing lines together to suggest Trump directly incited supporters to attack the building. The BBC issued an apology for the editing but has maintained that Trump’s defamation claims lack legal merit.
Beyond the financial disclosure requirements, the judge’s decision also permits the BBC to issue subpoenas to dozens of individuals within Trump’s circle, including family members and advisers such as Donald Trump Jr., Steve Bannon, and Stephen Miller. The broadcaster intends to use these subpoenas to gather evidence regarding Trump’s thoughts and intentions surrounding the January 6 events.
Trump’s legal representatives indicated they plan to appeal the ruling. Additionally, the president’s lawyers are pursuing a strategy to limit the disclosure obligations by narrowing the lawsuit’s scope. According to reports, Trump attorney Alejandro Brito told the judge on Tuesday that he intends to amend the complaint to assert the documentary caused only reputational harm rather than business damage, potentially eliminating the need for financial disclosures.
Meanwhile, the BBC indicated it aims to argue that Trump’s wealth increased following the documentary’s release, which would contradict claims that the program harmed his business interests. The White House did not provide an immediate response to inquiries about the ruling.
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