US President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion, accusing the broadcaster of defamation over an edited speech that appeared to show him calling for “violent action” ahead of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
In a letter seen by AFP, Trump’s legal team gave the BBC until Friday to retract the documentary, issue a full apology, and compensate him for “the harm caused.” If the demands are not met, the letter warned, Trump would pursue legal action seeking at least $1 billion in damages.
The dispute centers on a Panorama documentary that included an edited clip of Trump’s speech outside the White House before the Capitol attack. Critics said the edit implied he had urged his supporters to “fight like hell” and march to the Capitol, omitting his statement that they should “cheer on” lawmakers peacefully.
The BBC has apologised for what it called an “error of judgment” and said it would review Trump’s legal letter. The fallout has already prompted the resignation of the broadcaster’s director general, Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness, on Sunday.
BBC chairman Samir Shah told MPs that the editing “did give the impression of a direct call for violent action,” promising reforms to strengthen editorial oversight.
Trump’s lawyers accused the BBC of airing “false, defamatory, malicious, and inflammatory” content that caused “overwhelming financial and reputational harm.” A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said the former president “will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news.”
The controversy has reignited debate over the BBC’s impartiality. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman defended the broadcaster’s importance, saying it “has a vital role in an age of disinformation” but must “act swiftly to maintain trust.”
The scandal comes as the government prepares a review of the BBC’s charter, which governs its funding and operations, ahead of its expiry in 2027. The publicly funded broadcaster has faced a series of recent crises, including accusations of bias, “serious flaws” in a Gaza war documentary, and criticism over politically charged festival coverage.
