Trump Initiates Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Speech Controversy
Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he plans to file a lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the upcoming days, seeking financial damages estimated between one billion and five billion dollars, as reported by Reuters.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump stated: "We will sue them for any amount ranging from one billion to five billion dollars, probably sometime next week. I think I should do it. They even admitted to their cheating."
Trump's legal team sent a formal letter to the BBC on Monday, accusing the network of defaming him by broadcasting an edited version of his speech given prior to the January 2021 Capitol riots. They requested an apology and compensation by Friday.
On Friday, Trump remarked: "The people of the United Kingdom are very angry about what happened, because this shows that the BBC is providing fake news." He indicated plans to discuss the matter with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has expressed support for the BBC's independence while maintaining neutrality regarding Trump. Trump noted, "I will call him over the weekend. He actually called me; he feels very embarrassed."
In response, the BBC issued a personal apology to Trump on Thursday for the editing of his speech but asserted that there is no legal basis for a lawsuit. The network stated it would not rebroadcast the "Panorama" program and expressed regret over the editing, while firmly maintaining, "We do not agree at all that there is a basis for a defamation claim."
The controversy intensified following the leak of internal allegations regarding bias at the BBC and the editing of Trump's speech on the day of the Capitol breach, which led to the resignation of two senior officials within the organization.
Observers note that the BBC may face criticism if public funds are used to settle any compensation claims made by Trump, further complicating the situation for the broadcaster.
