US President Donald Trump has announced he has an 'obligation' to sue the BBC for its editing of a part of his speech broadcast in a Panorama documentary. During an appearance on Fox News, he criticized how his January 6, 2021 remarks were portrayed, claiming they were 'butchered' and 'defrauded' the public.
This marks Trump's first direct response since his legal team sent a letter to the BBC, demanding a retraction and threatening a lawsuit for $1 billion unless their conditions are met.
A spokesperson for the BBC stated they are reviewing Trump's legal letter and will respond appropriately, while BBC chair Samir Shah previously admitted to an 'error of judgement' regarding the broadcast edit.
In the Fox News interview, which aired recently, Trump reiterated, 'I think I have an obligation to do it, because you can't allow people to do that.' He explained that the speech, intended to be calming, was manipulated to seem radical by splicing together different sections in a misleading manner.
The demand for a formal response from the BBC is set for Friday, with the controversy exacerbated by the resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness in light of the backlash.
The BBC's editorial standards have come under scrutiny following this incident, particularly since significant public attention was drawn after a leaked internal memo that questioned the integrity of the edits made in the controversial broadcast. Trump's claims center on the way his original message was altered, changing the perception of his encouragement towards the Capitol riot.
This became more contentious as the Panorama episode aired shortly before the 2024 US presidential election, leading to questions about safety, impartiality, and media ethics. The political implications continue to unfold amid ongoing debates about the BBC's role and governance.
