Key facts
- The BBC is seeking to subpoena Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner in a defamation suit.
- The BBC argues the Trump family members have personal knowledge of Donald Trump's speech revisions and statements.
- Attempts to serve subpoenas on the Trump family members have been blocked by law enforcement and Trump's legal team.
- The BBC has requested court permission to serve subpoenas via mail or through President Trump's attorneys.
The BBC is seeking to subpoena members of Donald Trump's family, including Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner, as part of its defense against a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by the former president. Court filings reveal that BBC legal representatives attempted in May to serve subpoenas for testimony and documents, arguing the family members have relevant knowledge of Trump's intentions and revisions to his speech prior to the 2021 Capitol riots. Jared Kushner reportedly drafted a statement for Trump condemning violence.
However, attempts to formally serve the subpoenas have been unsuccessful. In one instance, Secret Service agents blocked a BBC representative from serving Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at their Florida residence, stating the agency was not authorized to accept such documents. Similar attempts to serve Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in New York were also rebuffed, with staff indicating the appropriate personnel were unavailable. The BBC's legal team has now requested court permission to serve the subpoenas via email, certified mail, or through President Trump's attorneys, citing the ongoing difficulties.
Donald Trump's lawsuit accuses the BBC of intentionally doctoring his speech outside the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The BBC has apologized for an editing error that created a mistaken impression of Trump calling for violence but denies the program meets the legal criteria for defamation and has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed. Trump recently agreed to drop BBC Studios from the lawsuit, as the company had no role in the documentary's production.