Trump Announces Intent to Sue BBC Over Speech Edit Controversy

Wed Nov 12 2025 15:05:03 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former President Trump claims he has a duty to file a lawsuit against the BBC over unfair editing of his speech in a documentary, asserting that it misled viewers and damaged his reputation.

Donald Trump stated his 'obligation' to sue the BBC following the editing of a portion of his January 6 speech in a Panorama documentary. He accused the BBC of presenting his words misleadingly, asserting they defrauded the public. Trump's legal team has threatened to seek $1 billion in damages unless the BBC issues an apology and a retraction. The BBC has acknowledged receipt of his letter and is reviewing the situation. This controversy has drawn widespread attention, especially given the timing before the upcoming presidential election.

US President Donald Trump has said he has an obligation to sue the BBC over the way a section of his speech was edited in a Panorama documentary.

Speaking to Fox News, he said his 6 January 2021 speech had been butchered and the way it was presented had defrauded viewers.

It is the first time Trump has spoken publicly about the matter since his lawyers wrote to the BBC and said he would sue for $1bn (£759m) in damages unless the corporation issues a retraction, apologises and compensates him.

A spokesperson for the BBC said: We are reviewing the letter and will respond directly in due course.

BBC chair Samir Shah has previously apologised for an error of judgement over the edit.

Appearing on Fox News's The Ingraham Angle, Trump responded to questions about the lawsuit, stating well I guess I have to, you know, why not, because they defrauded the public, and they've admitted it. He criticized the editing, claiming it changed his calming speech into something radical.

The BBC received the letter from Trump's lawyers on Sunday, demanding a full and fair retraction and an apology, setting a deadline for response.

Furthermore, a internal memo from a former independent adviser to the BBC raised concerns that the edit could imply that Trump encouraged the Capitol riots, a claim he refutes.

The fallout has already led to resignations from senior positions in the BBC and has sparked discussions about the organization's impartiality ahead of upcoming negotiations regarding its governance.