Trump sues BBC for up to $10B over speech edit
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for $10 billion. The suit comes after the BBC edited a speech he gave on January 6, 2021, which was aired in an episode of Panorama. In his complaint, Trump accused the broadcaster of "intentionally, maliciously and deceptively" editing his speech on January 6 before the Capitol insurrection.
Allegations detailed
Trump claims defamation, violation of trade practices
Trump's lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for Florida's Southern District, seeks $5 billion in damages for two counts. He alleged that the BBC defamed him and violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The Panorama edit made it seem as if Trump had said: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol and I'll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell."
Resignation fallout
BBC acknowledges error, director general resigns
The BBC has acknowledged the editing was an "error of judgment" and apologized to Trump. However, it maintained that there was no legal basis for a defamation claim. Tim Davie, the BBC's director general, and Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, resigned last month amid allegations of "serious and systemic problems" in the broadcaster's coverage.
Election interference
Trump's lawsuit claims BBC interfered with election
Despite the BBC iPlayer and BBC One not being available in the US, Trump's legal team argued that the edits were a "brazen attempt" to interfere with the 2024 presidential election. The lawsuit contended that the Florida court has jurisdiction as BBC is "engaged in substantial and not isolated business activities" in the state. This includes its website and BritBox streaming platform.
Legal history
Trump's legal victories against media firms
Since Trump's re-election to office in November 2024, he has bagged several high-profile legal wins against media firms in the US. ABC, owned by Disney, agreed to pay Trump $15 million as part of a settlement over a defamation lawsuit he brought following comments made by an anchor. He also reached a $16 million settlement with Paramount, parent of CBS News, over what he claimed was false editing of a pre-election interview with the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris.
Criticism voiced
Press freedom campaigners criticize Trump's lawsuit
Press freedom campaigners have slammed Trump's lawsuit against the BBC. Seth Stern, director of advocacy at the Freedom of the Press foundation, called it "preposterous" to demand $10 billion over an alleged journalistic blunder. Stern also argued that associating Trump with January 6 isn't defamatory since he pardoned those involved in the attack and sells merchandise using similar language.