BBC blocked from serving Trump family in suit
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The gist
BBC blocked from serving Trump family subpoenas in $10 billion defamation suit.
The case tests whether the broadcaster can question Trump's relatives before a 2027 trial.
Background
President Trump sued the BBC in December over a 2024 Panorama documentary about the US Capitol riots, claiming it spliced his January 6 speech to make him appear to urge an attack. The BBC is seeking testimony from Trump's children and son-in-law to build its defense, but has been repeatedly blocked from serving them subpoenas, partly because they are protected by the Secret Service.
How it unfolded
- Dec 2024Trump filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over the documentary 'Trump, A Second Chance?'.
- Aug 14, 2026Court documents reveal BBC's attempts to serve subpoenas to Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Jared Kushner were blocked.
- Aug 15, 2026Reports detail multiple failed service attempts, including at Trump Tower and the Miami residence, with law enforcement and Secret Service refusing to accept documents.
- recentlyThe case is expected to continue through discovery, with a potential trial in 2027.
Who’s saying what
- BBC
- The BBC argues it needs testimony from Trump's family to defend against the defamation claims.
- Trump's team
- Trump's lawyers have not commented on the subpoena attempts but previously amended the lawsuit to focus on reputational damages.
Still unverified
The specific reasons for each blocked service attempt are based on court filings and reports; some details may be disputed.