The BBC is pursuing a defamation lawsuit tied to its reporting on the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol and is asking a court to compel former President Donald Trump to provide text messages from the relevant period. Multiple reports say the broadcaster wants communications between Trump and his advisers in the hours before the Capitol was breached, arguing the messages are relevant to whether he incited the riot. The action forms part of a larger legal dispute in which the BBC seeks access to material intended to support its account of events, while Trump and his legal team dispute the claims and resist disclosure. Separately, one report also notes the case involves orders relating to financial information connected to Trump’s business affairs, described as part of the wider litigation. The BBC’s request centers on establishing context and intent through contemporaneous messages, according to coverage of the proceedings. The reports describe ongoing legal steps rather than any final ruling, and do not indicate whether the court has granted the request.