Trump Threatens Lawsuit Against BBC Over Speech Editing Incident

Wed Nov 12 2025 19:06:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former US President Donald Trump announces plans to sue the BBC for $1 billion, claiming his speech was misrepresented in a documentary.

Donald Trump has stated his intention to file a lawsuit against the BBC over an edited segment of a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021. In an interview with Fox News, Trump expressed feeling 'obligated' to act against the BBC, asserting their edit 'defrauded' the public. The BBC has acknowledged a previous error in the editing process and is currently reviewing Trump's legal demands for a retraction and compensation. Trump's legal threats follow a leaked memo expressing concerns about the documentary's integrity, raising questions about media accountability and editorial standards.

Former US President Donald Trump has declared that he has an 'obligation' to sue the BBC regarding an edited version of a speech he made during the January 6, 2021 Capitol events. In a recent interview on Fox News, he described the editing of his speech in a Panorama documentary as a 'butchering,' claiming it misled viewers and 'defrauded' the public.

This marks Trump's first public statement on the issue since his legal team sent a letter to the BBC demanding $1 billion in damages unless they issue an apology and a retraction. A representative from the BBC confirmed they are currently reviewing the lawsuit demand.

During the Fox News segment, Trump reiterated that the editing transformed his speech, originally intended to be 'calming,' into something that appeared radical. He emphasized, They actually changed my January 6 speech, which was a beautiful speech... what they did was rather incredible. Trump's lawyers issued the lawsuit demand following the re-emergence of scrutiny over the BBC's edit after a leaked memo outlined concerns regarding editorial judgment.

BBC Chair Samir Shah previously admitted an 'error of judgement' had occurred with the edit. Trump's interview, recorded earlier this week, was released late on Tuesday and openly discussed the lawsuit's necessity to hold media outlets accountable.

As Trump continues to navigate relations with various media, this incident follows similar legal threats he has made against other news organizations. The Capitol documentary—initially aired before the November 2024 US presidential election—has now become a focal point for discussions regarding media impartiality and accuracy, particularly after the implications raised by the leaked memo.

With a deadline set for the BBC to respond to Trump's demands, the fallout from the situation has prompted resignations from senior BBC officials and spurred broader conversations within the UK regarding the media's role and responsibilities in political contexts.