The BBC has filed a motion in a Florida federal court seeking authorization to subpoena Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner for testimony and documents. The request is part of the British broadcaster's legal defense against a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump. The BBC argues these family members possess personal knowledge regarding the events of January 6, 2021, and the former president’s actions during the Capitol attack.
The legal dispute originated in December when Mr. Trump sued the BBC over a 2024 "Panorama" documentary. The lawsuit alleges that the broadcaster used deceptive editing of a speech given by Mr. Trump in Washington D.C. to imply he had called for violence. The BBC previously issued a public apology for the edit, stating it created a "mistaken impression," but maintains that the error does not constitute a valid basis for a defamation claim.
According to court filings, the BBC attempted to serve the subpoenas independently in May but was unsuccessful. The broadcaster reported that local law enforcement and the Secret Service prevented service at the Florida home of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. In New York, attempts to serve Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower were unsuccessful because building staff stated the appropriate legal personnel were either at lunch or not in the building.
Attorneys for the BBC cited congressional records indicating that Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump were in the Oval Office while the former president was revising his January 6 speech. The filing also noted that Mr. Kushner reportedly drafted a statement condemning the violence and that Donald Trump Jr. spoke with his father after the Capitol was breached. A spokesperson for Mr. Trump's legal team stated Monday that the broadcaster is "abusing the deposition process" to harass the family and distract from its own liability.
The scale of the case is substantial, involving a $10 billion claim against a major public broadcaster. While the cost of the litigation is not yet distributed to individual taxpayers or BBC license-fee payers in a specific per-household dollar figure, the outcome could influence future standards for media liability and the use of edited footage in political reporting. A ruling in favor of the subpoenas would set a precedent for when family members and close advisors of a former head of state can be drawn into private civil litigation concerning official government events.
The court has set a deadline of Friday for Mr. Trump's legal team to formally respond to the BBC's request. Following that response, a federal judge will determine whether the broadcaster has sufficient grounds to compel the family members to testify. If authorized, the subpoenas would carry the weight of a court order, meaning the recipients would notice a requirement to coordinate with attorneys for scheduled depositions and document production, likely starting shortly after the court issues its decision.