The BBC says it will fight a $5 billion defamation lawsuit from former President Donald Trump. The case is about how the BBC edited his January 6, 2021, speech in a Panorama episode.
Trump’s court filings in Florida claim the BBC defamed him and broke trade laws. His lawyers argue the BBC changed his words to make it seem like he was calling for violence before the U.S. Capitol riot.
The BBC recently apologized for the edit but refused Trump’s demand for money, saying there is no reason for a defamation claim. A BBC spokesperson said, Like we’ve said before, we will fight this case, and won’t comment more during the legal process.
Trump announced his plan to sue after the show aired in the UK before the 2024 U.S. election. He said the BBC cheated by changing his words.
In his speech, Trump said supporters would walk down to the Capitol and fight like hell. Panorama put these remarks together to make them seem like one statement. The BBC admitted the edit gave the wrong idea, but it wasn’t defamation.
An internal BBC memo leaked in November criticized the edit and led to some resignations.
BBC lawyers say the edit was not meant to harm Trump and did not damage him, noting he was re-elected soon after the show aired. They also say the BBC did not air the documentary in the U.S., and it was only available to UK viewers on BBC iPlayer. The suit says people in the U.S. may still have been able to see the show through deals, VPNs, or BritBox. The BBC hasn’t replied to these claims yet.
UK politicians have weighed in. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock supports the BBC’s defense, while some others want Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to discuss the issue with Trump.
This lawsuit is one of several Trump has filed against media companies. Some people say defamation cases are hard to win in the U.S., but others believe the BBC needs to defend itself to protect its freedom.
