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BBC seeks Trump family subpoenas
The BBC sought to subpoena Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner as it defends against President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit over a Panorama documentary about his January 6, 2021, speech.
“The BBC has sought to subpoena members of Donald Trump's family for documents and testimony”
Court filings described BBC representatives attempting in May to serve subpoenas on the three family members, with the BBC arguing they have "personal knowledge" of the president's intentions in delivering the speech.
The BBC asked the court to permit subpoenas to be served by email and certified mail after attempts to serve them in person were unsuccessful, including a refusal at a police checkpoint at the family’s Florida home.
In another attempt, a representative tried to serve a subpoena on Donald Trump Jr at Trump Tower in New York, but was told the person who normally accepts such documents might be at lunch.
Service blocked by security
GB News said the BBC failed to subpoena the Trump family members in the defamation case, noting the broadcaster admitted it used "unusual, perhaps even novel" methods to hand documents to the President's family.
Warrington Guardian reported that the BBC’s efforts to serve subpoenas were unsuccessful because the trio are protected by the United States Secret Service as members of the sitting president’s immediate family.
The BBC filing described a representative being refused entry at a police checkpoint at the home of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner in Florida, and later being told by the Secret Service that the agency could not accept the subpoenas.
The BBC also said attempts to serve Donald Trump Jr at Trump Tower in New York were stopped by security at the building, and that it would "prevent any future attempts" to serve the papers.
Apology, trial date, and stakes
The BBC previously apologized for the Panorama editing, acknowledging it created "the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action" while also denying the edit provides grounds for a defamation claim.
“the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action”
A trial is scheduled for February 2027 if the case proceeds, and the BBC sought to dismiss the lawsuit while arguing it did not meet the legal criteria for defamation.
The BBC’s latest filing said it asked the court to allow subpoenas to be served by email and certified mail, framing the testimony and documents as relevant because it argues the family members had "personal knowledge" of his intentions.
Trump’s legal team argued that disclosure of financial records sought by the BBC would cause him "irreparable harm," and the BBC asked for some of Trump’s financial records tied to his claim that the documentary damaged the president's business interests.
