Trump Threatens BBC with Lawsuit Over Edited Speech

Wed Nov 12 2025 18:53:31 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former President Donald Trump has announced his intention to sue the BBC for $1 billion, claiming that an edited version of his January 6 speech misrepresented his words in a Panorama documentary.

Donald Trump stated he has an 'obligation' to file a lawsuit against the BBC after accusing the network of distorting a section of his speech. He claims the edit defrauded the public, prompting legal action for $1 billion in damages unless a retraction and apology are issued. The BBC acknowledged receiving the lawsuit threat and is preparing a response. This situation arises amidst internal turmoil at the BBC over the documentary's presentation of Trump's speech.

Former US President Donald Trump has publicly stated that he feels he has an 'obligation' to sue the BBC for $1 billion, claiming that his speech was unfairly edited in a Panorama documentary. In an interview with Fox News, Trump expressed his belief that the broadcast misrepresented his words during the January 6, 2021 speech, which he described as ‘butchered’ and misleading.

This lawsuit threat is unprecedented for Trump on this issue, marking his first public comments since his legal team sent a demand letter to the BBC, seeking an apology and a retraction of the documentary. The BBC has confirmed receipt of the letter and is reviewing its contents.

In his Fox News interview, Trump insisted that the BBC had defrauded viewers by altering the context of his speech. 'They defrauded the public, they've admitted it,' he said. Trump criticized the edits, stating, 'They changed my January 6 speech, which was a beautiful speech, which was a very calming speech, and they made it sound radical.'

The Panorama documentary aired just days before the last US presidential election and faced growing scrutiny after a leaked internal memo raised concerns about the editing. The BBC's Disciplinary Chief has since apologised for an 'error of judgment' in relation to the broadcast.

As Trump prepares to move forward with the lawsuit, the BBC is under pressure to respond adequately to these allegations, particularly with the looming deadline set by Trump’s lawyers. This incident has also caused significant upheaval within the BBC, leading to resignations among senior leadership.