Trump filed a lawsuit Monday seeking $10 billion in damages from the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of defamation, deceptive and unfair trade practices.
The Lawsuit
The 33‑page complaint accuses the BBC of broadcasting a “false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious depiction of President Trump,” calling it “a brazen attempt to interfere in and influence” the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Alleged Editing of the Jan. 6 Speech
The suit alleges that the BBC “spliced together two entirely separate parts of President Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021” to “intentionally misrepresent the meaning of what President Trump said.” The hour‑long documentary, titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” was aired days before the 2024 election. It combined three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into a single passage that appeared to urge supporters to “fight like hell.” The edit removed a portion in which Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
Trump’s Response
Earlier Monday, the president said he was suing the BBC “for putting words in my mouth.” During an unprompted appearance in the Oval Office, he said, “They actually put terrible words in my mouth having to do with Jan. 6 that I didn’t say, and they’re beautiful words, that I said, right?” He added, “They’re beautiful words, talking about patriotism and all of the good things that I said. They didn’t say that, but they put terrible words.”
BBC’s Apology and Rejection of Defamation Claims
The broadcaster had apologized last month to Trump over the edit of the Jan. 6 speech. However, it rejected claims that it had defamed him, after Trump threatened legal action. BBC chairman Samir Shah called the editing an “error of judgment,” a statement that triggered the resignations of the BBC’s top executive and its head of news.
Legal Context
The lawsuit was filed in Florida, while deadlines to bring the case in British courts expired more than a year ago. Legal experts have noted potential challenges to a U.S. case, given that the documentary was not shown in the country. The suit argues that people in the U.S. can watch the BBC’s original content, including the “Panorama” series that featured the documentary, via the subscription streaming platform BritBox.
About the BBC
The 103‑year‑old BBC is a national institution funded through an annual license fee of 174.50 pounds ($230) paid by every household that watches live TV or BBC content. Bound by the terms of its charter to be impartial, it typically faces intense scrutiny and criticism from both conservatives and liberals.
Key Takeaways
- Trump is suing the BBC for $10 billion over alleged defamation and deceptive editing of his Jan. 6 speech.
- The complaint accuses the broadcaster of splicing separate parts of the speech to misrepresent his words.
- The BBC apologized but rejected defamation claims, citing an “error of judgment.”
The case highlights the growing legal tensions between U.S. political figures and foreign media outlets amid an election year.
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