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BBC Escalates Trump Defamation Fight, Seeks Testimony From Ivanka, Don Jr. and Jared Kushner
The BBC is turning up the pressure in its legal battle with Donald Trump, asking a federal court for permission to subpoena three members of the Trump family over their knowledge of the speech at the center of his multibillion-dollar defamation lawsuit.
The broadcaster wants testimony and documents from Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner, arguing that the three may have firsthand knowledge of Trump’s intentions before and during his January 6, 2021, speech.
The dramatic legal move could bring Trump’s family directly into a courtroom battle that is already threatening to become one of the BBC’s most consequential US legal fights.
BBC Wants Trump Family Under Oath
The subpoenas form part of the BBC’s defense against Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit over a 2024 Panorama documentary.
Trump alleges that the BBC deceptively edited portions of his January 6 speech, creating the impression that he directly encouraged violent action. The BBC has apologized for the editing mistake but maintains that the incident does not meet the legal standard for defamation.
Now, the broadcaster says Trump’s family members could provide crucial evidence.
According to court filings, BBC lawyers are relying largely on evidence the House January 6 Committee previously gathered. They contend that Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump were present as Trump revised his speech and were also at the Ellipse while he delivered it.
The BBC further claims that Jared Kushner drafted a proposed statement for Trump that would have condemned the violence. That evidence, the network argues, could be directly relevant to determining what Trump intended when he delivered the speech.
Secret Service Blocks Attempted Subpoena Delivery
The legal battle took another unusual turn when BBC representatives allegedly struggled to serve the subpoenas in person.
Court documents say an attempt was made in May to serve subpoenas for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at their Miami home. The BBC says police prevented the process server from reaching the residence.
A Secret Service lawyer later told BBC attorneys that the agency could not accept the subpoenas on the individuals’ behalf.
A separate effort to serve Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Organization offices in Trump Tower, New York, also failed, according to the filing.
The BBC now wants the federal court to approve alternative service methods, including email and certified mail, or to determine that delivering the subpoenas through Trump’s lawyers is sufficient.
Trump’s BBC Lawsuit Is Already Under Pressure
Trump filed the lawsuit last December, accusing the BBC of intentionally and maliciously manipulating his speech.
The BBC has acknowledged that its editing created a misleading impression but has argued that the documentary does not establish a viable defamation claim.
The broadcaster has also challenged whether the program was distributed in the United States, an important issue in Trump’s case. His lawyers recently acknowledged that they lacked evidence supporting earlier claims that the documentary was available through several US-facing BBC platforms.
Trump has also agreed to remove BBC Studios from the lawsuit after the company argued it had no role in producing the Panorama episode.
Meanwhile, the court has scheduled a potential trial for February 2027.
Could Trump Family Testimony Change the Case?
The requested depositions could make the proceedings significantly more explosive.
The BBC is seeking firsthand evidence from people allegedly close to Trump as he prepared and delivered the speech. If the subpoenas are approved, questioning under oath could potentially examine what Trump said privately, what changes he made to the speech, and what his advisers believed he intended.
For now, the court must first decide whether and how the BBC can serve the subpoenas.
With the trial still months away, the legal fight is rapidly expanding beyond the BBC’s editing decisions and directly toward the Trump family.
