Trump urges court to reject BBC's bid to secure records from his family in defamation case

Donald Trump is currently seeking to prevent the BBC from obtaining records and testimony from his children, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr., along with son-in-law Jared Kushner, as part of a $10 billion defamation lawsuit he filed against the British broadcaster. Trump's legal team submitted a motion on Friday, August 22, to a Florida federal court, arguing that the BBC's attempt to subpoena his family members is a "politically-charged discovery campaign" designed to gain "politically-driven leverage" against him.

The defamation case, initiated by Trump in December 2025, alleges that a BBC documentary aired prior to the 2024 presidential election falsely and maliciously edited his January 6, 2021 speech at the Ellipse. The BBC is seeking information from Trump's family members, contending they possess personal knowledge and relevant records concerning the content and intent of the speech, which is central to the lawsuit. The broadcaster had previously attempted to serve subpoenas in person but encountered difficulties due to the Secret Service protection afforded to Trump's family.

While the BBC has issued an apology for a misleading edit in the documentary, it continues to deny that its actions constitute defamation. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey T. Kuntz, who was nominated by Trump, has not yet issued a ruling on the dispute regarding the subpoenas. A trial date for the defamation case has been set for February.