US President Donald Trump said on Friday he is preparing to sue the BBC for between $1 billion and $5 billion, arguing the broadcaster defamed him by editing a 2021 speech in a way that suggested he incited the January 6 Capitol riot.
The comments follow a week of turmoil at the British Broadcasting Corporation, where two senior leaders resigned amid accusations of bias and improper editing practices.
Trump’s lawyers had given the BBC until Friday to retract its Panorama documentary or face litigation seeking at least $1 billion in damages. They accused the broadcaster of causing “overwhelming reputational and financial harm” by splicing together three segments of Trump’s remarks that were nearly an hour apart.
The BBC has acknowledged the edit was an “error of judgment” and issued a personal apology to Trump, but it maintains there is no legal basis for defamation and has declined to rebroadcast the programme.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the apology was insufficient and insisted the edit amounted to deliberate misconduct. He compared the incident to election interference, saying the altered clip changed “the words coming out of my mouth.” He also suggested British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was “embarrassed” by the controversy and expected to speak with him soon.
The backlash has triggered the BBC’s most serious internal crisis in decades. Director General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness stepped down this week, and the broadcaster is reviewing additional allegations of problematic editing practices, including on its Newsnight programme. British officials, including Culture Minister Lisa Nandy, called the apology appropriate, while stressing the need for the BBC to restore trust.
The controversy has raised questions about whether British licence-fee funds could be used to settle any legal claim. Former media minister John Whittingdale warned there would be significant public anger if taxpayer-funded resources were used to pay damages.
