Donald Trump seeks to block BBC subpoenas for family members

Donald Trump has requested a federal judge to block the BBC from subpoenaing three members of his family: Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Donald Trump Jr. The request is part of a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Trump against the British broadcaster.

Trump’s legal team argues that the BBC is attempting to gain “politically-driven leverage” through a “sweeping investigation disguised as discovery.” The lawsuit stems from a Panorama documentary that allegedly edited portions of Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech to misrepresent his statements. Trump claims the broadcaster spliced together separate passages to create a misleading narrative.

The BBC has sought court permission to serve the subpoenas via certified mail after previous attempts to deliver them in person were unsuccessful. In one instance, Secret Service agents reportedly informed a process server that they were not authorized to accept the documents at the family's residence.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Kuntz, a Trump nominee, recently inherited the case. A trial is currently scheduled for February.