U.S. President Donald Trump has said he feels an “obligation”
to sue the BBC after the British broadcaster aired a misleadingly edited
version of one of his speeches, though he stopped short of confirming formal
legal action.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump said:
“I guess I have to, why not? I think I have an
obligation to do it because you can’t allow people to do that. They defrauded
the public and they’ve admitted it.”
The comments came after Trump’s legal team sent the
BBC a billion-dollar defamation threat, following the network’s apology for a
documentary edit that appeared to show Trump calling for “violent action”
before the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.
The BBC admitted the edit gave a “misleading
impression” and issued an apology, stating it would “review” Trump’s legal
letter.
The controversy has already triggered a shake-up at
the broadcaster, with both the Director-General Tim Davie and its top news
executive resigning on Sunday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour
government has sought to maintain a delicate balance—defending the BBC’s
editorial independence while avoiding direct confrontation with Washington.
The dispute comes as the BBC prepares for a 2027 Royal
Charter renewal, which will determine its future governance and funding
structure.
Trump, who has returned to office since January, has
previously filed several lawsuits against U.S. media outlets he accused of
defamation or bias.
The BBC documentary at the heart of the row aired last
year, featuring an edited clip of Trump’s 2021 rally speech in which he urged
supporters to “fight like hell.” The unedited version, however, also showed him
saying they should “cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”
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