WASHINGTON : Speaking aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, Trump accused the BBC of “cheating” by splicing together excerpts of his January 6, 2021, speech on the day his supporters stormed the Capitol. The edit appeared in a BBC Panorama documentary and, according to Trump’s lawyers, created the false impression that he incited the riot. The legal team initially set a Friday deadline for the BBC to retract the documentary, apologise, and pay “no less than $1 billion” in damages for what they called “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
While the BBC acknowledged the edit was an “error of judgment” and sent a personal apology to Trump on Thursday, it rejected any legal liability and said it would not rebroadcast the documentary. The broadcaster is now reviewing other programmes, including Newsnight, after fresh concerns were raised about editing practices.
Trump, however, dismissed the apology as insufficient, claiming the edit was “impossible to believe” and “beyond fake, this is corrupt.” In an interview with GB News, he likened the incident to election interference and insisted the BBC stitched together speech segments nearly an hour apart. “They changed the words coming out of my mouth,” he said, adding that he intends to file the lawsuit next week.
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The fallout has shaken the BBC to its core. Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness resigned this week amid mounting criticism over editorial integrity and accusations of systemic bias. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who Trump said was “very embarrassed” by the saga, told parliament he supports a “strong and independent BBC” but warned the broadcaster must “get its house in order.”
Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said the BBC’s apology was “right and necessary,” while former media minister John Whittingdale voiced concern that licence fee payers might foot the bill for any settlement in Trump’s claim. Founded in 1922 and funded largely by mandatory public fees, the BBC now faces intense scrutiny over how it safeguards impartiality in the age of disinformation.
Despite the turmoil, Trump said he has not yet spoken directly with Starmer but plans to do so this weekend.
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