The BBC says it will defend against Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit, which claims a documentary deceptively edited his 2021 Capitol speech.
LONDON: The BBC stated it will fight a USD 10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit concerns a documentary that edited Trump’s 2021 speech ahead of the US Capitol riot.
A BBC spokesperson said the corporation would defend the case and offered no further comment on ongoing proceedings.
Filed in a Miami federal court, the suit seeks at least USD 5 billion for each of two counts against the broadcaster.
It alleges defamation and a violation of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The disputed video spliced two sections of Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech.
This editing made it appear he explicitly urged supporters to attack the Capitol during the election certification.
The lawsuit emerges as the UK government launches a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter, which governs its funding and must be renewed in 2027.
A public consultation will examine the BBC’s role regarding accuracy and its contentious licence fee funding model.
UK Minister Stephen Kinnock stressed the government is a “massive supporter of the BBC”.
Kinnock told Sky News the BBC was right to stand firm, as there is “no case to answer” on the defamation accusation.
Trump, 79, had previewed the lawsuit, claiming the BBC “put words in my mouth” and posited “they used AI or something”.
The “Panorama” documentary aired last year before the 2024 presidential election.
A Trump legal team spokesperson said the BBC “defamed President Trump by intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring his speech”.
The statement accused the BBC of a long pattern of deception to serve a “leftist political agenda”.
The edited clip scandal last month led to the resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and top news executive Deborah Turness.
Trump’s lawsuit claims the fabricated speech was aired to “interfere in and influence the Election’s outcome”.
The BBC has denied the defamation claims, though chairman Samir Shah sent Trump a letter of apology.
Shah told a UK parliamentary committee the BBC should have acted sooner after an internal memo on the error was leaked.
This lawsuit joins a string of legal actions Trump has taken against media companies in recent years. – AFP
