US President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion, accusing the British broadcaster of deliberately editing one of his speeches to mislead the public.
According to Trump, the BBC’s actions were an attempt to “interfere in the presidential election” by cutting out parts of his speech where he urged his supporters to protest peacefully before the January 6 Capitol riot.
A legal letter sent by his lawyer, Alejandro Brito, to BBC Chairman Samir Shah warned that if the BBC fails to issue a public apology, retract the edited segment, and compensate Trump by Friday, legal action will follow.
The letter stated:
“The fabricated statements aired by the BBC have spread widely online, causing President Trump serious financial and reputational harm.”
The controversy has already forced the Director General, Tim Davie, and the CEO of BBC News, Deborah Turness, to resign.
In response, a BBC spokesperson said:
“We will review the letter and respond directly in due course.”
BBC Chairman Samir Shah also expressed regret over the situation, saying he was open to apologizing personally to Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump has called the BBC a “corrupt organization” and described the two former BBC executives as “very dishonest people.”
His legal team told NBC that the BBC “defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its documentary to interfere in the election.”
The issue deepened after Michael Prescott, a former BBC adviser, released a memo that exposed editorial failings within the organization, leading to internal investigations. Shah later defended the corporation, saying that while the BBC sometimes makes mistakes, it has taken steps to correct and discipline those responsible.
