Judge rules BBC can subpoena Trump family and allies, orders financial records disclosure in defamation case

U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ruled in Miami that the BBC may subpoena dozens of President Trump's family members, Cabinet members, and close allies—including Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, and Michael Flynn—as part of its defense against Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit. The judge also ordered Trump to produce detailed financial records from his businesses, stating that his brand and properties are directly relevant to the damages claimed. Trump's legal team had opposed the discovery as 'premature, improper, and especially burdensome.' The ruling turns Trump's own lawsuit into a vehicle for financial exposure, undercutting his strategy and potentially complicating his damages claim. The lawsuit concerns a BBC documentary that edited Trump's January 6, 2021 speech; the BBC apologized but denies defamation. A trial is scheduled for February 2027.