Trump threatens to sue BBC for up to $5 billion despite its apology

After Trump's lawyer issued a letter seeking an apology, the BBC acknowledged an error in the editing and apologised. However, it maintained that it had not defamed Trump

US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said he would take legal action against the BBC for a misleading edit of his 6 January 2021 speech that, he claimed, altered his words and portrayed him as inciting the Capitol riot.

 

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, Trump said, “We’ll sue them for anywhere between $1 billion and $5 billion, probably sometime next week. I think I have to do that, I mean they’ve even admitted that they cheated. They changed the words coming out of my mouth,” reported Reuters.

 

He added he had not yet spoken to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the issue but intended to call him over the weekend. Trump said Starmer had tried to reach him and was “very embarrassed” by the incident.

 

 

What did the documentary do to trigger the controversy?

 

The documentary, broadcast on the BBC’s flagship Panorama news programme, stitched together three separate video excerpts of Trump’s 2021 speech. The editing created the impression that he was urging supporters to storm the Capitol. Trump’s lawyers called the edit “false and defamatory,” reported Reuters.

 

Earlier, Trump had threatened to sue the broadcaster for $1 billion. 

 

How did the misleading edit come to light?

 

According to a report by Mint, the issue came to notice after The Daily Telegraph published a memo written by former BBC adviser Michael Prescott. The memo alleged that Panorama had combined separate portions of Trump’s 6 January 2021 speech in a way that created the impression he was directly inciting the Capitol attack.

 

Following the publication, BBC Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness resigned.

 

How has the BBC responded to the controversy?

 

After Trump’s lawyer issued a letter seeking an apology for the effect the documentary had on the US President’s image, the BBC acknowledged an error in the editing and apologised. However, it maintained that it had not defamed Trump and said there was no legal basis for the proposed lawsuit.

 

BBC Chair Samir Shah sent a personal apology to the White House on Thursday, after also expressing regret before a British parliamentary oversight committee, describing the edit as an “error of judgement.” UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy later said the apology was “right and necessary.”

 

The broadcaster also said it would not re-broadcast the documentary and had opened an inquiry into further concerns about editing practices. 

 

What has Trump said since the apology?

 

In an interview with GB News, Trump said the edit was “impossible to believe” and compared it to election interference. “I made a beautiful statement, and they made it into a not beautiful statement,” he said. “Fake news was a great term, except it’s not strong enough. This is beyond fake, this is corrupt,” reported Reuters.

 

Despite receiving the apology, Trump said the BBC had refused compensation and reiterated that the corporation “cheated.”