Trump Considers $1.5 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited January 6 Speech

Share this @internewscast.com

US President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC for its editing of a speech he made in 2021 on the day his supporters overran the Capitol, which the British broadcaster admitted was an “error of judgement”.

Trump’s lawyers said the BBC must retract its documentary by 14 November or face a lawsuit for “no less” than US$1 billion ($1.5 billion), according to a letter sent on Sunday local time.

The documentary on the BBC’s flagship Panorama program spliced together two separate excerpts from one of Trump’s speeches, creating the impression that he was inciting the January 6 riot, which the lawyers said was “false and defamatory”.

The BBC has encountered a turbulent period following revelations about a controversial speech and broader criticism of its news division, leading to the resignation of its two senior leaders. Director General Tim Davie and Chief Executive of News Deborah Turness stepped down on Sunday as a result of the turmoil.

Its chair Samir Shah on Monday apologised for the editing of the footage, but he rejected claims of systemic bias in the broadcaster’s news reporting.

The organization is currently assessing how to address the legal challenges arising from the situation.

Shah acknowledged that the editing of the speech mistakenly suggested an explicit endorsement of violence.

The crisis was sparked by the leaking of an internal report that raised concerns about the BBC’s coverage, including the edit of the Trump speech in a program broadcast shortly before the November 2024 US presidential election.

Trump supporters overran the Capitol on that day, when Congress was due to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s win over Trump in the November 2020 election.

The editing was included in a dossier leaked to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, which also included criticism of the BBC’s coverage of Israel’s war in Gaza and transgender issues.

Tim Davie is set to remain in his role for several months to ensure a smooth transition while a successor is appointed. Credit: Andrew Milligan / PA

In a letter to lawmakers, the BBC expressed regret for the editorial misjudgment, stating, “The BBC would like to apologize for that error of judgement.”

While Shah accepted criticism of the Trump edit, he hit back at suggestions the BBC had sought to bury any of the allegations around bias, or failed to tackle any problems. Asked if the charges of systemic bias were wrong, he said “yes”.

A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer denied the BBC was institutionally biased or corrupt, and said the government supported the corporation.