BBC seeks Trump Jr, Ivanka and Kushner testimony in $10 bn suit

The BBC has asked a US court for permission to subpoena Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner as part of its defence against President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit. The broadcaster argues the three family members have personal knowledge about Trump's intentions when he delivered his January 6, 2021, speech, which was edited in a BBC Panorama documentary that aired in 2024. The BBC has apologised for the misleading edit but denies defaming Trump.

Court filings state that Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump were present while the president revised the speech and were at the Ellipse during its delivery. The BBC also says Kushner drafted a proposed statement condemning the violence at the Capitol. The broadcaster has struggled to serve subpoenas: attempts at Kushner and Ivanka Trump's Miami home were blocked by police, and service at Trump Jr's Trump Tower office also failed. The BBC has asked the court to allow service by mail or through Trump's lawyers.

Trump's legal team has called the subpoenas an attempt to harass the family and distract from the BBC's liability. A trial has been provisionally set for February. Separately, a federal judge has paused an order requiring Trump to disclose business financial records while considering an amended complaint that may narrow his claim for economic damages.