President Donald Trump has requested a federal judge to dismiss the BBC’s request for court assistance in obtaining testimony and documents from three of his family members. This request is in response to Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster.
The BBC seeks testimony from daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and son Donald Trump Jr. Trump’s lawyers argue that the broadcaster aims to gain “politically-driven leverage” over the former president by serving subpoenas to his family members.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz, based in Miami, has not yet ruled on the matter. Kuntz, who was appointed by Trump, recently took over the lawsuit from another judge. The reason for the reassignment was not specified in court documents. The previous judge had set a trial date for February.
In May, a process server working for the BBC attempted to serve subpoenas at Ivanka Trump and Kushner’s residence, but Secret Service agents said they could not accept them, according to Trump’s lawyers. Later, the process server visited Trump Tower in New York, but was unsuccessful in serving Donald Trump Jr.
Last week, the BBC filed with the court seeking permission to serve subpoenas via certified mail instead of in person.
Trump’s lawsuit, filed in December, alleges the BBC edited parts of his speech delivered near the White House on January 6, 2021. This was when a mob of his supporters attacked the Capitol to stop Congress from confirming Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. The lawsuit claims the BBC edited the speech to misrepresent Trump’s words intentionally.
The lawsuit further claims the BBC aired its documentary just before the 2024 presidential election to intentionally harm Trump’s campaign. Trump’s lawyers argue the BBC’s motion is part of a politically charged discovery campaign previously deemed overly broad by the court.
The BBC has issued an apology to Trump for the misleading edit but denies defaming him.
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