United States President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for $1 billion, accusing it of “defamatory and malicious” editing of a speech he gave before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
In a letter obtained by AFP, Trump’s lawyers demanded that the BBC retract the documentary, apologise publicly, and compensate him for the alleged damage. The letter gave the broadcaster until Friday to comply or face legal action.
“If the BBC fails to comply, President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights… including filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 in damages,” the letter read. “The BBC is on notice. PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.”
The controversy comes after the BBC’s director general announced his resignation on Sunday amid accusations that a Panorama documentary had edited Trump’s speech in a misleading way. The broadcaster has since apologised and said it would “review” the letter from Trump’s legal team.
According to Trump’s lawyers, the edit created a “false, defamatory, malicious, disparaging, and inflammatory” impression of the former president’s remarks outside the White House before the riot. They claimed the altered clip had been “widely disseminated” online, reaching tens of millions of people and causing “overwhelming financial and reputational harm.”
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team confirmed the letter’s authenticity, stating that the BBC had “intentionally and deceitfully” edited the footage in an effort to “interfere in the presidential election.”
“The BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its documentary,” the spokesperson said. “President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news.”
Trump, who has a history of legal battles with U.S. media outlets including ABC, CBS, and The New York Times, appears to be reigniting his offensive against the press as he positions himself for the 2024 election.
