US President Donald Trump has confirmed he will sue the BBC for $1 billion over its editing of his January 6, 2021 speech.
The announcement comes as BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness have resigned amid the escalating controversy.
Trump told Fox News he has an "obligation" to pursue the lawsuit. "Well I guess I have to, you know, why not, because they defrauded the public, and they've admitted it," he said on The Ingraham Angle. "This is within one of our, supposedly, great allies. That's a pretty sad event."
The controversy centers on a BBC Panorama documentary that aired before the November 2024 US presidential election. The program edited Trump's speech to remove a section where he advised supporters to demonstrate peacefully, allegedly creating the impression he directly called for violent action at the Capitol.
Resignations and Internal Turmoil
Both Davie and Turness stepped down Sunday. In a note to staff, Davie acknowledged the BBC had made "some mistakes that have cost us" but emphasized: "We have to be very clear and stand up for our journalism."
BBC Chairman Samir Shah apologized for what he called an "error of judgement" regarding the edit. He told staff the broadcaster should be prepared for all outcomes, noting Trump is "a litigious fellow."
Legal Threat and Deadline
Trump's lawyer Alejandro Brito sent a legal letter demanding immediate action. The BBC faces a Friday 5pm EST deadline to provide a "full and fair" retraction and "appropriately compensate President Trump for the harm caused."
The letter warns the BBC caused Trump "overwhelming financial and reputational harm" through "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements." If demands are not met, Trump will pursue "no less than 1,000,000,000 dollars in damages."
Government Position
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the House of Commons the BBC must "renew its mission for the modern age" as its charter review approaches. "There is a fundamental difference between raising serious concerns over editorial failings and members of this House launching a sustained attack on the institution itself," she said.
Downing Street called the matter "matter for the BBC" and declined to comment on ongoing legal issues. The BBC said it will review the letter and respond "in due course."
Despite the pressure, Davie urged staff to defend their work. "We are a unique and precious organisation, and I see the free press under pressure, I see the weaponisation," he told colleagues in remarks seen by PA news agency. "I think we've got to fight for our journalism."
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
