A US magistrate judge has ordered Donald Trump to disclose detailed financial information from his numerous businesses as part of his $10bn defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation. The ruling, issued by Judge Enjoliqué Lett during a discovery hearing on Tuesday, could provide an unprecedented look into the hundreds of businesses held by Trump's family trust.
Lawsuit Background
Trump filed the defamation suit late last year, seeking $10bn in damages over a 2024 BBC documentary titled "Trump, A Second Chance." The documentary includes a scene of Trump's speech before his supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The scene splices lines together to make it appear Trump directly urged his supporters to attack. While the BBC apologized to Trump for the misleading edit, it maintains that the president's defamation claims lack merit.
Discovery Ruling
Judge Lett's ruling allows the BBC to subpoena dozens of Trump's inner circle members, including Donald Trump Jr, Steve Bannon, and Stephen Miller, to find evidence of Trump's thoughts and intentions on January 6, according to Bloomberg News. Trump's legal team is expected to appeal the decision.
Trump's Strategy
Trump's lawyers are attempting to limit the lawsuit's scope to avoid releasing financial records. Alejandro Brito, a Trump lawyer, told Lett on Tuesday that he plans to amend the complaint, stating the documentary only caused reputational damage, not business harm, making financial disclosures unnecessary. However, the BBC can currently proceed with requests for Trump's financial records. The BBC aims to argue that Trump's wealth increased since the documentary aired, contradicting the claim of business damage.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
