The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has taken the step of filing subpoenas for the children and son‑in‑law of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The subpoenas aim to obtain documents and testimony that are deemed relevant to the Trump’s $10 bn (£7.4 bn) defamation lawsuit over a recent episode of the BBC programme Panorama.
Trump’s case centers on an edited version of a speech he delivered before the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. The BBC had previously apologized for the edit but maintains that the programme does not meet the legal criteria for defamation and was not available on its U.S. platforms.
According to court filings from May, BBC lawyers attempted to serve subpoenas in New Jersey, Florida and New York. The attempts were reportedly thwarted by security protocols and hospitality staff, including refusals at a Florida police checkpoint and at Trump Tower in New York. The legal team has asked to have the subpoenas served electronically, citing repeated delivery failures.
The defendants argue that the requested testimony would help demonstrate that the edited clip was constructed from portions of the speech that were distinct and not intended to imply a direct call for violence. They further claim that the evidence from a U.S. congressional committee shows that Trump Jr. and Ivanka were present during the briefing of the speech and that Jared Kushner drafted a proposed statement condemning violence.
While Trump’s legal representatives have not responded to requests for comment, the BBC press office declined to comment on the subpoena filings. The court’s decision on whether to allow the subpoenas remains pending.
With a February 2027 trial date set should proceedings advance, the matter highlights the impact of media editing on public perception—an issue of particular relevance to the climate community, where the integrity of information shapes policy and public action.
