Trump Announces Legal Action Against BBC Over Panorama Edit Controversy

Sun Nov 16 2025 22:14:41 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former US President Donald Trump plans to sue the BBC for up to $5 billion over an edited broadcast that he claims misrepresented his words during a speech. The BBC has acknowledged an unintended error but refused to provide compensation.

In response to how his January 6 speech was edited by the BBC for a Panorama documentary, Donald Trump declared he would initiate legal proceedings against the network, seeking damages between $1 billion and $5 billion. The BBC issued an apology for the edit, acknowledging it created a misleading impression of Trump urging violence but maintained that no financial compensation would be awarded. The controversy has already led to resignations within the BBC's management.

US President Donald Trump has stated his intentions to take legal action against the BBC after the corporation aired an edited version of his speech from January 6, 2021, which he claims misrepresented his words.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump announced his plans to sue the BBC for damages ranging from $1 billion to $5 billion, with the legal action expected to be filed next week.

The BBC issued an apology on Thursday, acknowledging that the edit gave a mistaken impression that Trump had called for violent actions. Despite the apology, they refused to offer any financial compensation.

This incident stems from a Panorama program that aired in October 2024. The BBC's edit inaccurately presented Trump’s statements as if they were part of a single continuous appeal, rather than a compilation of excerpts from different parts of his speech. Trump's lawyers had previously warned the BBC to retract the edit, apologize, and offer compensation.

The controversy has significant ramifications, including the resignation of BBC director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness.

Commenting on the situation, Trump expressed that his obligation to take legal steps is critical to prevent similar instances in the future, calling the edit egregious and suggesting it is worse than a previous dispute he had with CBS regarding an interview with Kamala Harris.

As of Friday evening, court records indicated that no lawsuit had been filed in Florida. A BBC spokesperson remarked that they had not received further contact from Trump’s legal team and reiterated their position regarding the incident.

Legal experts noted that Trump's stance has prompted discussions about media accountability and the delicate balance between public interest and political expression.