Trump Threatens BBC with $1 Billion Lawsuit over Edited Speech
Washington: Former President Donald Trump has issued a serious threat to the BBC, claiming he might pursue a $1 billion lawsuit against the broadcaster. This comes in response to a documentary that edited a speech he delivered just before the riots at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. A source close to Trump’s legal team confirmed this news on Monday.
The source, who wished to remain unidentified, verified a report from Fox News stating that Trump’s legal team had given the BBC a deadline to retract the program and issue an apology by Friday.
A spokesperson from Trump’s legal team stated that a letter had been sent to the BBC, asserting that the network had “defamed” Trump but did not provide further specifics. The spokesperson claimed, “The BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally editing its documentary to interfere with the presidential election.” They added that Trump is committed to holding accountable those who spread misinformation.
In the wake of this controversy, BBC Director General Tim Davie resigned on Sunday amidst criticism over the editing choices made in the documentary aired by its prominent Panorama program. The BBC later announced it would review the letter and apologized for the editing that made it seem like Trump was calling for violent action on January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the Capitol in an effort to overturn the election results certified for Democrat Joe Biden.
