Members of Donald Trump’s family might need to testify or provide communications in his $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC. Even if Trump limits scrutiny of his business records, family members could still be involved. According to Deanna Shullman, a Florida media and First Amendment lawyer, relatives with information relevant to Trump’s alleged damages or the truth of the BBC’s portrayal could be involved in the discovery process.
Legal Opinions on Possible Depositions
Shullman highlighted that relatives could be asked for correspondence with Trump regarding the disputed portrayal. This could involve proving the truth or falsity of certain claims.
Howard Wasserman, a law professor specializing in media law, confirmed that Trump’s family members could act as nonparty witnesses if they have relevant information. He emphasized their potential role like many other nonparty witnesses in legal cases.
Judge’s Temporary Pause and Trump’s Legal Strategy
Currently, U.S. District Judge Roy Altman has paused an order requiring Trump to disclose information about his business trust. Trump aims to narrow his case to focus on reputational harm, excluding business damages. The complaint is under seal.
Trump’s lawsuit against the BBC involves claims of defamation based on edited footage from a 2024 documentary. Trump alleges that this portrayal led to significant reputational damage, demanding $5 billion for defamation and another $5 billion under Florida’s unfair trade practices law.
The BBC apologized for the edit, acknowledging the false impression it left, but denies any defamation.
Contention Over Financial Records
Trump’s financial records are pivotal due to his claims of economic harm. The BBC subpoenaed Trump’s trust for financial records to assess whether the documentary caused a loss in business value. Trump has challenged this by attempting to amend his complaint to exclude these economic claims.
Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett acknowledged Trump’s business interests were at issue due to claims of economic injury. She permitted the BBC’s request for a narrower set of financial records. Altman temporarily paused this order, pending the acceptance of Trump’s amended complaint.
Potential to Exclude Financial and Family Involvement
The success of Trump’s strategy hinges on obtaining permission for the amendment and clearly separating reputational from business-related damages, according to Shullman and Wasserman. Both noted that without the amended complaint, precise predictions are difficult.
If Trump entirely excludes economic damages and focuses solely on personal damages, like emotional distress, he might avoid financial discovery. However, if his new complaint links personal reputation with business value, the BBC could still seek financial records.
Despite possible exclusion of financial records, Trump’s family could still be involved, providing insights into damages or the veracity of the documentary’s claims.
Details of the Trump-BBC Lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed in December 2025, relates to a BBC Panorama documentary broadcast before the 2024 election. It allegedly rearranged Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech, implying encouragement of the Capitol attack. Trump argues this harmed his reputation and business.
The BBC admits the edit’s misleading effect yet seeks dismissal, contending no defamation occurred.