The BBC is attempting to compel testimony and documents from members of President Trump’s family as it defends against a substantial defamation action filed by the sitting president. Court documents indicate that the broadcaster’s legal representatives sought to serve subpoenas on Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr, his daughter Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner in May. The subpoenas seek to gather evidence relevant to the president’s claims regarding an edited segment from a Panorama episode.
The lawsuit centers on a Panorama broadcast that combined separate portions of a speech delivered by Trump before the 2021 Capitol riots. Trump alleges the BBC deliberately manipulated the footage in a manner that constitutes defamation. The BBC has acknowledged an editing error that created a misleading impression but maintains the program does not satisfy the legal standards for defamation liability.
According to the filing, the BBC’s legal team argues that Trump’s family members possess relevant knowledge about his intentions during the speech’s creation and delivery. Evidence referenced in the court documents, drawn from congressional investigations, indicates that Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump were present when Trump revised and delivered the remarks. The filing also notes that Jared Kushner had drafted a proposed statement for the president that would have condemned violence.
The BBC has requested permission to serve the subpoenas by email and certified mail after unsuccessful attempts at in-person delivery. Efforts to serve documents at residences and offices encountered obstacles, including a security checkpoint at a Florida property and unavailable personnel at a New York location. The lawsuit, initially filed last December, names the BBC and subsidiary entities as defendants. Trump has since agreed to remove BBC Studios from the case. A trial date in February 2027 has been set, contingent on the case proceeding to that stage.
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