LONDON/NEW YORK, Nov 10 – U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after the network admitted it made an “error of judgment” in editing a segment of his January 6, 2021 speech. The controversial edit, shown in a documentary aired on BBC’s Panorama program, allegedly portrayed Trump as directly encouraging violence during the Capitol riot.
According to a letter sent by Trump’s legal team on Sunday, the BBC must retract the program by Friday or face a lawsuit demanding no less than $1 billion in damages. The letter accuses the broadcaster of deliberately altering footage to misrepresent Trump’s words and actions, causing “severe reputational and financial harm.”
Trump’s lawyers also called for a formal apology and compensation, claiming the BBC intentionally omitted a crucial part of his address in which he urged supporters to march “peacefully and patriotically.” They argued that this omission distorted the context and wrongly implied he incited the attack on Congress during the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
BBC Leadership Faces Fallout
The backlash has thrown the BBC into a deep internal crisis. Over the weekend, both Director General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness announced their resignations, acknowledging the mounting criticism over editorial standards and the mishandling of sensitive political content.
BBC Chair Samir Shah publicly apologized for the network’s mistake but firmly rejected accusations that the broadcaster harbors institutional bias. “The BBC accepts that the way the footage was edited created the wrong impression. We deeply regret that error of judgment,” Shah said in a statement addressed to lawmakers.
Shah confirmed that the broadcaster is currently reviewing its internal procedures and consulting legal advisers on how to respond to Trump’s threat of litigation. A BBC spokesperson added that the organization would “respond directly to the letter in due course.”
The crisis erupted after the leak of an internal report that raised concerns about the BBC’s news coverage, including its editing of Trump’s January 6 speech. The documentary aired shortly before the November 2024 U.S. presidential election, intensifying scrutiny over the broadcaster’s handling of politically sensitive material.
Trump’s legal team has claimed the timing of the broadcast was deliberate and politically motivated. “This was an orchestrated attempt to interfere with the presidential election by spreading false and defamatory content about President Trump,” one of his attorneys said in a statement.
The documentary has since been removed from the BBC’s iPlayer streaming platform, with the corporation conceding that the presentation of Trump’s speech was “misleading.”
Defamation Law and Political Ramifications
In the letter, Trump’s lawyers cited Florida defamation law, signaling that any potential lawsuit would likely be filed in that state, where Trump resides. They allege that the BBC’s actions amounted to “reckless disregard for the truth” by omitting factual statements and juxtaposing unrelated clips to create a false narrative.
Legal experts note that defamation cases involving public figures like Trump are difficult to win in the United States, as plaintiffs must prove that the defendant knowingly published false information with malicious intent. However, under English law, a claimant only needs to show that the publication caused or is likely to cause serious harm to their reputation, which could make the BBC more vulnerable if proceedings cross jurisdictions.
This is not the first time Trump has taken on major media outlets. Several U.S. networks, including CBS and ABC News, have faced defamation suits filed by Trump or his campaign in recent years, some of which were settled privately before reaching court.
Meanwhile, Shah defended the BBC’s long-standing commitment to impartiality, emphasizing that the organization’s mission is rooted in trust and fairness. “The BBC’s DNA is to remain neutral, to report truthfully, and to deliver the most accurate news possible,” he said. “While individual errors can occur, the claim of systemic bias is unfounded.”
The BBC operates under a Royal Charter and is funded primarily through public license fees, making its independence from government interference a critical issue. Shah told lawmakers that restoring public trust is now a top priority and that new editorial oversight measures will be implemented to prevent future lapses.
A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also addressed the controversy, acknowledging that “serious mistakes” were made but expressing continued support for the broadcaster. “The resignations were the right course of action, and the government remains confident that the BBC will maintain its high standards of journalism,” the spokesperson said. “What matters now is ensuring accuracy, accountability, and transparency in all future reporting.”
The BBC crisis underscores ongoing tensions between political figures and the media, particularly surrounding the coverage of contentious events such as the 2021 Capitol riot. Trump continues to assert that the 2020 election was stolen, although numerous audits and court rulings have rejected those claims.
The BBC faces not only potential financial repercussions but also a significant challenge to its credibility. Trump’s team insists they will pursue “every available legal remedy” unless the broadcaster retracts and publicly corrects the record.