BBC seeks to subpoena Trump's family members in Panorama lawsuit

The BBC has sought to subpoena members of Donald Trump's family for documents and testimony as it defends against the US president's $10bn (£7.4bn) defamation lawsuit against the broadcaster.

Court filings show that representatives for the BBC's legal team attempted in May to serve subpoenas to the president's son Donald Trump Jr., his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The president is suing the BBC over an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of a speech he gave before the 2021 Capitol riots.

The BBC has previously apologised for the edit but denied it was grounds for defamation.

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In the latest filing, the BBC's lawyers argue Trump's family members "have personal knowledge" of his intentions in delivering the speech, making their testimony and documents relevant to the president's defamation claim.

Drawing on evidence previously gathered by a US congressional committee, the filing says Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump were present when their father revised and delivered his speech, adding Jared Kushner drafted a proposed statement for him which would have condemned the use of violence.

The filing asks the court to allow the subpoenas to be served by email and certified mail, saying attempts to serve them by hand were unsuccessful.