BBC Seeks Subpoenas for Trump’s Family in Defamation Case

The BBC has requested a Florida court to issue subpoenas for members of former President Donald Trump’s family. This is part of the broadcaster’s defense against a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump. According to a court document released on Friday, the BBC asked the U.S. District Court in Southern Florida for permission to serve Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner with subpoenas. The aim is to oblige them to provide testimony and documents related to the events of January 6, 2021, when the Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters.

The BBC’s legal team stated that these individuals possess knowledge and potentially have control over records relevant to multiple aspects of Trump’s claims against them. Trump was seen addressing a rally on January 6, 2021, protesting the certification of Joe Biden’s election win. The court has provided Trump’s lawyers with a deadline to respond.

CBS News reached out to Alejandro Brito, Trump’s attorney, for comments but did not receive an immediate response. A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team accused the BBC of attempting to harass Trump, his family, and supporters through deposition abuse. They claimed the BBC is trying to divert attention from its own liabilities.

In December, Trump filed his defamation lawsuit against the BBC, accusing them of deceptive trade practices. The lawsuit centers on a BBC Panorama documentary from 2024. According to Trump, the documentary edited his speech to mislead viewers. His legal team stated that the BBC edited two clips of a speech made on January 6, leaving out a call for peace that was made 55 minutes apart.

Although the BBC apologized for its editing, it argued that the edit does not justify a defamation claim. Recent court documents showed attempts to subpoena members of Trump’s family had faced obstacles. The BBC tried to serve subpoenas to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump at their Florida residence but was stopped by local law enforcement. The Secret Service informed them that they couldn’t accept documents on behalf of the couple.

When attempting to serve a subpoena to Donald Trump Jr. in New York, a BBC representative was informed that the person responsible could not be reached. During another attempt, they were told the legal department was unavailable. The BBC argues that Trump’s family members are key witnesses to the January 6 actions and cited congressional documents showing Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka’s presence in the Oval Office during Trump’s preparation. The documents also revealed Kushner drafted a statement condemning the violence and had communication with the president post-riot.

The BBC refused to provide comments when asked by CBS News. It remains a partner network of CBS News.