Trump escalates fight with BBC, vows multi-billion dollar lawsuit over “Deceptive” Panorama edit

Former U.S. president accuses the BBC of doctoring his January 6 speech, as the broadcaster apologizes but rejects any legal liability


By Burnett Munthali

Donald Trump has intensified his feud with the BBC after announcing plans to sue the broadcaster over what he calls a “dishonest and manipulated” edit of his January 6 speech.

He made the declaration while addressing reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump said he intends to file a lawsuit seeking “between $1 billion and $5 billion,” potentially as early as next week.

He accused the BBC of “cheating” by altering the words that appeared to come from his mouth in the Panorama programme.

The controversy stems from a Panorama episode titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” in which three separate segments of his speech were edited together.

His legal team argues that the edit creates the false impression that he issued a direct call for violence.

In response, the BBC issued an apology, describing the edit as an “error of judgement.”

The broadcaster acknowledged that the editing unintentionally made it appear as though it was presenting one continuous unaltered clip from the speech.

However, the BBC firmly disagreed with Trump’s demand for damages and stated that the mistake does not meet the threshold for defamation.

The broadcaster also confirmed that the Panorama episode will not be re-aired in its current form.

The apology followed a formal letter from Trump’s lawyers demanding a retraction, a public apology, and substantial financial compensation.

The fallout has already been significant at the BBC, with Director-General Tim Davie and News Chief Deborah Turness stepping down in the wake of the scandal.

Trump said he feels a personal “obligation” to pursue the lawsuit, arguing that failing to act would enable media organisations to repeat similar misrepresentations.

He also revealed that he had no intention of discussing the issue with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer but claimed Starmer “asked to speak” with him.

The BBC has defended itself by noting that the Panorama episode did not air in the United States, which it argues prevents Trump from proving he suffered reputational harm there.

Legal experts have also questioned the viability of Trump’s case, pointing out that U.S. defamation law and the programme’s lack of U.S. distribution could weaken his claim.

Despite these obstacles, Trump insists he will proceed, framing the dispute as part of his broader battle against what he describes as “fake news.”