BBC seeks Trump children, son-in-law subpoenas in defamation suit defense

The BBC is pursuing subpoenas for Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner in its defense against a defamation lawsuit initiated by the former president. Trump's suit, filed in December, centers on a BBC documentary that he alleges manipulated footage of his January 6, 2021 speech. He claims the documentary falsely depicted him as directly inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The British broadcaster contends that Trump's children and son-in-law possess crucial information regarding his intentions and actions on January 6, 2021. Court documents filed Friday indicate the BBC's lawyers believe this includes knowledge of Trump's efforts to persuade then-Vice President Mike Pence to reject the 2020 election certification. The BBC also stated that Jared Kushner reportedly assisted in drafting a statement for Trump that would have condemned the violence at the Capitol.

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is entitled to discover Trump’s “intention behind the speech and anything that bears on the impression his audience could have reasonably obtained in listening to the speech”, which includes whether Trump “gave it intentionally or otherwise; the breadth of the audience of the message and impression; and the extent of any resulting injury or harm”.

Serving subpoenas on the family members proved challenging due to their protection by the U.S. Secret Service. The BBC's attempts to serve Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at their Florida residence were reportedly blocked by law enforcement. Meanwhile, a federal judge recently sided with Trump, blocking the BBC's access to financial records as the lawsuit narrows its focus to reputational damages. Trump has also claimed the BBC used AI to alter his speech, a charge the network denies. While the BBC has apologized for editing, it maintains Trump's lawsuit lacks legal grounds.

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have, “without question,” knowledge of several incidents that day