Former US President Donald Trump has initiated a high-stakes legal battle against the British Broadcasting Corporation, filing a lawsuit that seeks damages of up to 10 billion dollars (£7.5 billion). The claim centres on the editing of a speech he delivered prior to the 2021 Capitol attack, which featured in a BBC Panorama documentary.
The Core of the Legal Complaint
Trump's legal team contends that the edit, broadcast in the Panorama documentary a week before the 2024 US election results, presented a depiction that was "false and defamatory". They allege the BBC "intentionally and maliciously sought to fully mislead its viewers around the world". The contentious clip spliced parts of his 6 January 2021 address to create the sequence: "We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell."
The lawsuit, filed at the US district court for the southern district of Florida, demands five billion dollars (£3.7 billion) on two counts: defamation and a violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The defendants named are the BBC, BBC Studios Distribution, and BBC Studios Production.
Broadcast Reach and Political Fallout
Although the Panorama programme was not aired on US television, the complaint argues it was accessible via the BritBox subscription streaming platform and claims millions of Florida citizens could view it using VPNs. It further alleges that Canadian media group Blue Ant Media Corporation, which held non-UK licensing rights, distributed the documentary "in North America, including Florida".
The legal document asserts there is "substantial evidence" that the BBC and its leadership bore Trump ill will and wanted him to lose the 2024 election. It cites comments from UK politicians, including Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and former prime minister Liz Truss, the latter referencing a "pattern of actual malice" at the broadcaster.
Apologies, Resignations, and a History of Litigation
The scandal first erupted following a leaked memo from Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, which raised concerns about the episode. In response, BBC chairman Samir Shah apologised for an "error of judgment", conceding the edit gave "the impression of a direct call for violent action".
The internal fallout was significant, leading to the resignation of both director-general Tim Davie and head of BBC News Deborah Turness. The BBC, however, maintains its defence. A spokesperson stated the corporation "will be defending this case" and offered no further comment on ongoing proceedings. Prior to the suit being filed, BBC lawyers reportedly argued "there was no malice in the edit" and that Trump was not harmed as he was re-elected shortly after the broadcast.
Trump announced the lawsuit at a press conference in Washington, stating, "I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth literally." This action continues his history of litigating against news outlets, with ongoing cases against the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
