Judge Enjoliqué Lett rules Donald Trump must provide detailed financial records for $10bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
US magistrate judge Enjoliqué Lett ruled that Donald Trump must disclose extensive financial information from his family trust as part of a $10bn defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation. The ruling comes as the president seeks damages over a documentary that edited his speech from January 6, 2021, to suggest he directly ordered rioters to attack the US Capitol. While the BBC apologized for the misleading edit, the corporation argues the defamation claims lack merit. Judge Enjoliqué Lett also granted the BBC permission to subpoena dozens of members of Donald Trump’s inner circle, including Donald Trump Jr, Steve Bannon, and Stephen Miller, to determine the president's specific intentions during the riot. The administration's legal team argued that the BBC's requests are "oppressive" and "sweeping." Alejandro Brito, a lawyer for Donald Trump, intends to amend the complaint to argue that the documentary caused reputational damage rather than a direct financial loss. For now, the BBC will move forward with its request for records to prove that Donald Trump's wealth increased after the documentary aired.