U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion over documentary program “Panorama’s” editing of the speech he made ahead of the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021.
The BBC confirmed it has received a letter from Trump’s lawyers and will “respond in due course.” The New York Times obtained the letter, which it reported demands a full retraction of the documentary, an apology and payment to “appropriately compensate President Trump for the harm caused.”
If these conditions are not met by Friday, Nov. 14 at 10 p.m. U.K. time, the letter said: “President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 (One Billion Dollars) in damages.”
Controversy erupted over the weekend after a leaked memo from former BBC Editorial Guidelines and Standards committee adviser Michael Prescott was published by The Telegraph suggesting that “Panorama” edited a Trump speech to make it sound like he encouraged the Jan. 6 riots. It resulted in the shocking resignations of both BBC director general Tim Davie and CEO of news Deborah Turness on Sunday night.
On Monday, BBC Chair Samir Shah apologized for the edit in a letter to the U.K. culture, media and sport committee and called it an “error of judgement.” Speaking with the BBC’s Katie Razzall following the letter’s publication, Shah said that he has been in contact with Trump’s team and is considering personally apologizing to the president. Asked if Trump will sue the BBC, Shah said: “I do not know that yet, but he’s a litigious fellow so we should be prepared for all outcomes.”
Prescott’s memo said “Panorama” edited Trump’s speech to be: “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not gonna have a country anymore.” Prescott wrote that Trump said the part beginning with “and we fight” 54 minutes after “we’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be with you.”
Trump celebrated the news of Davie and Turness’ resignations on Sunday night, calling the organization “corrupt ‘journalists.’”
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“These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election,” Trump wrote. “On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!”
In September, Trump sued the New York Times for $15 billion claiming defamation and libel, which was tossed out days later by a judge. Last month, he refiled the suit.
From Variety US