Trump asks federal judge to block BBC bid to obtain records and testimony from family members in $10 billion defamation case

President Donald Trump has urged a federal judge to reject a request by the BBC to obtain testimony and documents from three members of his family as part of discovery in Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster, according to a report published August 22, 2026.

In the filing described by the reporting, Trump argued that the court should not grant the BBC the assistance it sought to secure records and testimony from his family members. The dispute is framed around how evidence may be collected in the case, and which materials may be obtained through the court process rather than through other means outside the litigation.

The BBC’s bid, as characterized in the reporting, sought the court’s help in obtaining testimony and documents from three family members. The request is tied directly to the BBC’s ability to build its defenses and respond to claims raised in Trump’s defamation suit, which seeks substantial damages described as $10 billion in the court posture summarized by the report.

Trump’s position, as presented in the same report, is that the judge should deny the BBC’s request. The practical effect of such a denial would be to limit the BBC’s ability, through the court system, to compel or otherwise secure the testimony and documents the broadcaster is seeking from those family members during the case’s evidentiary stage.

The case also underscores how defamation litigation, especially when it involves high-profile figures, can broaden beyond public statements into disputes over discovery and the reach of subpoenas or other court-assisted evidence gathering. Even where the core claims concern published reporting, discovery requests can become a major battleground about relevance, scope, and appropriate targets for compelled testimony and documents.

A ruling on the BBC’s request would indicate whether the judge is willing to allow the broadcaster to use the court’s authority to reach the specified family members for documents and testimony. If the judge denies the request, the BBC may need to rely on other evidence or pursue narrower discovery avenues, depending on how the court structures its management of the case.

If the judge grants the BBC’s request in whole or in part, the effect would be to expand the scope of court-assisted evidence gathering involving Trump’s family members, potentially impacting timelines for discovery and the set of materials available to both sides before motions and trial preparation proceed.