Trump Threatens $1 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Panorama Documentary

US President Donald Trump has publicly declared his intention to sue the BBC for $1 billion, accusing the broadcaster of “defrauding the public” by editing a section of his 6 January 2021 speech in a way that, he says, distorted his words and intent.

Speaking in a Fox News interview on The Ingraham Angle, Trump said the network’s Panorama documentary had “butchered” his remarks, falsely portraying his address to supporters on the day of the Capitol riot as incitement to violence.

It marks the first time the president has spoken out about the controversy since his lawyers sent a formal legal threat to the BBC, demanding a full retraction, apology, and financial compensation.

Trump Accuses BBC of “Defrauding” Viewers

During the interview, Trump was asked whether he planned to proceed with legal action against the BBC. His response was unequivocal.

“Well, I guess I have to,” he told host Laura Ingraham. “Why not? Because they defrauded the public — and they’ve admitted it.”

He added: “They actually changed my January 6 speech, which was a beautiful speech, a calming speech. They made it sound radical. What they did was rather incredible.”

Trump said he felt an “obligation” to take legal action to hold the broadcaster accountable. “You can’t get people, you can’t allow people to do that,” he said, referring to what he described as a deliberate manipulation of his message.

The segment of the interview addressing the BBC controversy was recorded on Monday but aired on Tuesday evening in the United States.

The BBC confirmed it had received a letter from Trump’s legal team on Sunday. The letter demanded a “full and fair retraction,” an official apology, and appropriate compensation for what it called “the harm caused to President Trump’s reputation.”

According to the correspondence, the BBC has until 22:00 GMT (17:00 EST) on Friday to issue a response before Trump’s legal team moves forward with the lawsuit.

A BBC spokesperson stated, “We are reviewing the letter and will respond directly in due course.”

BBC chair Samir Shah previously apologized for what he described as an “error of judgment” in the editing process, though he stopped short of confirming any intent to misrepresent Trump’s words.

The controversial edit appeared in a Panorama documentary that aired days before the 2024 US presidential election. The program examined Trump’s political comeback and his handling of the 6 January events.

In the film, Trump was shown saying:

“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”

However, it has since been revealed that the clip combined two separate parts of his original speech, taken more than 50 minutes apart. The splice, according to internal BBC documents, gave the false impression that Trump directly encouraged the Capitol riot.

In reality, Trump’s full, unedited speech stated:

“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”

A leaked BBC memo published by The Daily Telegraph last week disclosed that an independent editorial standards adviser had raised concerns about the misleading edit months before the broadcast.

This is not the first time Trump has taken on major media organizations. Since returning to the White House, he has made several legal threats against broadcasters and newspapers he claims have defamed him.

According to sources close to his legal team, Trump has previously settled disputes with CBS News and ABC News after receiving what were described as “substantial payouts.” He has also threatened legal action against The New York Times for alleged defamation.

If Trump proceeds with the BBC lawsuit, it is expected to be filed in Florida, where he resides. However, his lawyers will need to establish that the BBC Panorama documentary was accessible or distributed within the United States — something that, so far, has not been confirmed.

The BBC has faced mounting scrutiny since the controversy became public. The internal memo revealed that concerns about the edit had been raised well before the documentary aired but were not acted upon at the time.

In recent weeks, the broadcaster has faced growing calls for greater transparency and editorial accountability, with critics accusing it of political bias. Defenders of the BBC argue that the error was unintentional and that the corporation continues to uphold rigorous standards of impartial journalism.

For his part, Trump insists that the matter is about more than personal reputation — it’s about protecting public trust in media.

“This isn’t just about me,” he said during the interview. “It’s about honesty. You can’t have powerful broadcasters changing people’s words and deceiving viewers. It’s a disgrace.”

Whether Trump’s legal threat materializes remains to be seen, but his comments have reignited debate over media integrity, political bias, and the role of accountability in modern journalism.

As the BBC reviews the case and prepares its response, the confrontation between one of the world’s most powerful media institutions and one of its most polarizing political figures could soon escalate into a landmark legal battle — one that may reshape how global news outlets handle political coverage in the future.

Source- BBC