Donald Trump has announced his intention to take legal action against the BBC within hours of the network altering a speech he made for a Panorama documentary. During a speech at the White House’s Oval Office, the US President stated he would be filing a libel lawsuit later that day or by the following evening. This legal action stems from allegations that the broadcaster manipulated his speech preceding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, stating, “I’m suing the BBC for misrepresenting my words… I suspect they utilized AI or similar technology.”
Trump also highlighted, “They attributed dreadful words to me.” This development follows the BBC’s apology to the Republican leader for the edited content featured in a 2024 Panorama episode. The documentary, produced by a third-party company, merged three quotes from different segments of Trump’s 2021 speech to create a single quote where he appeared to incite supporters to march and “fight like hell.” The edited version omitted a section where Trump emphasized peaceful demonstrations.
In response to the controversy, BBC’s Director-General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness resigned, citing the detrimental impact on the network. The BBC acknowledged the error, describing it as a lapse in judgment. A BBC spokesperson confirmed that the contentious clip would not be aired again in its current form on any BBC platforms.
In November, the BBC disclosed, “Lawyers representing the BBC have responded to President Trump’s legal team following a received letter. BBC Chair Samir Shah personally apologized to the White House and President Trump for the misrepresentation in the program.” The network clarified that they had no intentions of re-broadcasting the documentary and expressed regret for the editing mishap while refuting the grounds for a defamation lawsuit.
Trump’s legal team demanded an apology, a retraction of the documentary, and rectification of any false or defamatory claims made about the President. Legal professionals have highlighted the challenges Trump may encounter in pursuing legal action in the UK or the US, emphasizing that Trump’s election as President in 2024 could undermine claims of harm caused by the incident.
Despite Trump’s initial threat of a billion-dollar lawsuit, BBC leadership opted to avoid a public confrontation with the former President. Trump reiterated his stance on pursuing legal recourse during an interview with Fox News, asserting his determination to hold the organization accountable.
In response to Trump’s recent statements, a BBC spokesperson confirmed, “There have been no further communications from President Trump’s legal representatives. Our stance remains unchanged.”