Trump Fights BBC Bid to Subpoena Family Members in $10 Million Defamation Suit

President Trump is suing the BBC for $10 million over a Panorama documentary concerning the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, and the British broadcaster is now seeking to subpoena three of his family members — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner — for testimony and records as part of its defense. According to court filings reported in mid-August, the BBC first attempted to serve the subpoenas directly but was unsuccessful, prompting it to file a motion asking a Florida court to compel their cooperation regarding the events of Jan. 6, 2021. In filings dated around Aug. 22, Trump's legal team asked the court to reject the BBC's request, calling the effort "cynical" and, through a spokesperson, accusing the broadcaster of "seeking to harass" the president's family. Separately, earlier reporting from early August indicated Trump was attempting to revise his lawsuit to narrow its focus toward reputational harm allegedly caused by the documentary, which coincided with efforts to shield his business finances from discovery in the case. As of the latest reporting, the Florida court had not yet ruled on the BBC's subpoena request or on Trump's objection to it. It remains unresolved whether the three family members will ultimately be compelled to testify or produce records, and the precise scope of any amended complaint narrowing the lawsuit has not been detailed in available reporting. The underlying defamation case, centered on the BBC's Panorama documentary about Jan. 6, continues to proceed through pretrial disputes.