BBC seeks Trump family testimony in US lawsuit
Apnews · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The BBC has asked a federal court in Florida to let it obtain documents and testimony from Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr. in connection with Donald Trump’s US$10 billion lawsuit against the broadcaster.
According to the filing, the BBC says the three family members have personal knowledge and likely possess records relevant to Trump’s claims over a 2024 documentary about his January 6, 2021 speech.
The broadcaster says it has been unable to serve subpoenas because the three are protected by the Secret Service and other security personnel.
A judge has given Trump’s legal team until Friday to respond to the BBC’s request to allow service by email and certified mail.
Key Points
- Trump sued the BBC in December, seeking US$10 billion in damages for alleged defamation and deceptive and unfair trade practices.
- The case centers on a 2024 documentary that Trump says misleadingly combined separate parts of his January 6, 2021 speech.
- Trump’s lawsuit alleges the edit intentionally distorted his meaning and was a brazen attempt to influence the 2024 US presidential election.
- The BBC has apologized for the misleading edit, but it maintains that the documentary did not defame Trump.
- The filing says Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump were in the Oval Office during speech revisions, and Trump Jr. later spoke to Trump after violence began.
Why It Matters
The court fight shows how a media defendant can try to test a public figure’s claims by seeking evidence from close family members and aides, especially when the dispute turns on intent and what was known at the time.
For Hong Kong readers, the case is a reminder that even after a broadcaster issues an apology for an edit, major defamation litigation can continue if the parties still dispute whether reputational harm was legally caused.