The BBC has asked a US court to issue subpoenas to Donald Trump’s family members, seeking documents and testimony as it fights the former president’s $10bn (£7.4bn) defamation claim. In court filings, the broadcaster’s legal team said it attempted in May to serve subpoenas on Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr and his daughter Ivanka Trump, as well as their spouses, including Jared Kushner. The BBC is trying to obtain evidence it says could be relevant to Trump’s case over a Panorama segment. Panorama Edit Spurs defamation ClaimTrump is suing the BBC over a Panorama episode that rearranged two separate sections of a speech he delivered before the 2021 Capitol riots. The BBC previously apologised for the editing error and said it gave “the mistaken impression” that Trump had directly called for violent action. It has denied that the mistake amounted to defamation. The latest application argues that Trump’s family members “have personal knowledge” of his intentions when he revised and delivered the speech. The BBC’s filing says their evidence and documents could therefore be relevant to Trump’s defamation allegations. Family Members Were Present, BBC SaysThe filing draws on evidence previously gathered by a US congressional committee. It states that Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump were present when their father modified and delivered the speech. It adds that Kushner drafted a proposed statement that would have condemned the use of violence. The filing argues that testimony from the family could help establish what Trump intended in his public remarks. The BBC is also asking the court to authorise service of the subpoenas by email and by certified mail. It said previous attempts to serve papers in person were unsuccessful. Attempts To Serve Subpoenas BlockedAccording to the filing, a representative for the BBC attempted to deliver a subpoena for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at their home in Florida, but was refused entry at a police checkpoint. The representative was later told by the Secret Service that the agency could not accept the subpoenas. In New York, the filing says a representative tried to serve a subpoena for Donald Trump Jr at Trump Tower but was told by a concierge that the person who usually takes such documents may have been at lunch. A further attempt two days later resulted in a response that the “legal department” was not available on that day, the BBC said. Trump’s legal team has been approached for comment. A BBC press office declined to comment. Wider Case Timeline And Financial RecordsTrump filed the lawsuit in Florida last December, naming the BBC, BBC Studios Productions and BBC Studios Distribution. His complaint accuses the BBC of “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring” the speech. The BBC has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. It argues that Panorama does not satisfy the legal test for defamation and that the programme was not made available on its US platforms. In a recent filing, Trump’s lawyers admitted they had no evidence that the documentary was available in the US on BBC’s BritBox subscription service, or on BBC.com, BBC Select, or through US broadcasters, after initially making those claims. Trump has also agreed to drop the involvement of BBC Studios from the action following the BBC’s argument that the company had “no role” in creating or producing the documentary. Earlier this month, the judge granted Trump’s request for a delay in him handing over financial documents requested by the broadcaster. The BBC said it is seeking some of Trump’s records in connection with his argument that the documentary damaged his business interests. Trump’s legal team said disclosure would cause him “irreparable harm”. A trial date of February 2027 has been set if the case proceeds. BBC News is editorially independent from the wider corporation. Join the discussion? 15 August 2026
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