Key facts
- President Donald Trump is opposing the BBC's attempt to secure testimony and documents from his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and son Donald Trump Jr.
President Donald Trump is urging a federal judge to deny the BBC's request to obtain testimony and documents from his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and son Donald Trump Jr. in connection with his $10 billion defamation lawsuit.
The case highlights the intersection of high-profile defamation litigation, political speech, and the challenges of serving legal documents on prominent individuals and their families, particularly when Secret Service involvement is present.
President Donald Trump has urged a federal judge to reject the BBC’s request for court assistance in obtaining testimony and documents from three of his family members. The legal battle stems from Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster.
Trump's lawyers argued in a court filing that the BBC is attempting to gain "politically-driven leverage" by seeking to subpoena his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and son Donald Trump Jr. The BBC had previously attempted to serve subpoenas in person on Ivanka Trump and Kushner at their residence, but was reportedly blocked by Secret Service agents. A subsequent attempt to serve Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower was also unsuccessful.
The BBC has since requested court permission to serve the subpoenas via certified mail. Trump's lawsuit, filed in December, alleges that the BBC deceptively edited a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021, to misrepresent his words. The suit further claims that the BBC aired a documentary containing these edits shortly before the 2024 presidential election in an effort to interfere with the outcome.
While the BBC has apologized for a misleading edit, the broadcaster denies defaming Trump. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz in Miami is presiding over the dispute, having inherited the case recently. A trial date had previously been set for February.