BBC apologises to Trump for misleading edit as $1 billion lawsuit threat looms

The BBC said Thursday (Nov 13) that its chairman has written to US President Donald Trump to apologise for a misleading edit of one of his speeches, but insisted the mistake does not amount to defamation. The move comes as the broadcaster faces growing scrutiny over how it portrayed Trump's January 6, 2021, speech in a "Panorama" documentary aired last year. On Monday, the BBC admitted that the edit wrongly gave the impression that Trump had directly called for violent action before the Capitol riot. The fallout has already led to the resignations of the director-general and the BBC's head of news, and triggered a threat from Trump's legal team to sue for $1 billion.

BBC apologises to Trump

BBC chair Samir Shah, according to AFP, has sent a personal letter to the White House, telling Trump that both he and the corporation "are sorry for the edit of the president's speech," the broadcaster said in a statement.

But the BBC pushed back on claims of defamation, saying in a statement that while it "sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited," it "strongly disagrees" that Trump has grounds for a lawsuit. BBC lawyers have written to Trump’s team laying out their position, it added.

Another speech "edited" to defame Trump?

The controversy widened Thursday as the BBC confirmed it is now reviewing a second instance where Trump's words may have been stitched together in a misleading way. According to The Telegraph, a 2022 "Newsnight" report edited lines from different parts of Trump's speech to make it appear he told supporters to march to the Capitol and "fight like hell."

A BBC spokesperson said the issue "has been brought to our attention and we are now looking into it."

The editing storm has erupted at a sensitive moment for the broadcaster, which is preparing for negotiations over its Royal Charter renewal. The current charter expires in 2027. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has so far tried to avoid getting pulled into a fight with Trump, stressing the importance of the BBC's independence while steering clear of taking sides.