Former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against Britain’s BBC, seeking up to $10 billion in damages, claiming the broadcaster defamed him by airing edited clips of a January 6, 2021 speech.
The edited BBC footage, used in a “Panorama” documentary before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, spliced together Trump’s calls to “march on the Capitol” and to “fight like hell,” but omitted his plea for peaceful protest.
The big picture: Trump’s suit, filed in Miami federal court, accuses the BBC of both defamation and violating Florida laws against deceptive and unfair trade practices, demanding $5 billion for each count.
- The BBC has admitted poor judgment with the edit, apologized to Trump, and acknowledged that it gave a misleading impression, but says it will defend the case and sees no legal grounds for the suit.
- Trump argues that the BBC’s apology was insufficient, lacking meaningful institutional reforms or true remorse.
Zoom in; Fallout from the controversy led to the resignation of the BBC’s two most senior bosses and has been used by critics to attack the corporation’s perceived liberal bias and funding model.
- While the documentary did not air on U.S. broadcast TV, Trump’s lawyers argue it was accessible in the U.S. through the BritBox streaming service, and that it was distributed in North America by Blue Ant Media.
- Legal experts cited in the article say Trump faces significant hurdles under U.S. law, needing to prove both falsity and reckless disregard for the truth due to constitutional protections for the press.
What we’re watching: The BBC’s funding through a public license fee means any payout could be politically sensitive in the UK, where the lawsuit is considered one of the most serious threats in the broadcaster’s 103-year history.
