US President Donald Trump has said he will proceed with legal action against the BBC, despite the broadcaster apologising for the way his speech was edited in a documentary aired last year. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump claimed the BBC had “cheated” by altering his words and said he plans to sue for “between a billion and 5 billion dollars” as early as next week.
The controversy follows a difficult period for the BBC, marked by senior resignations and an apology from its Indian-origin chair, Samir Shah, who described the editing as an “error of judgment.” The BBC acknowledged that the edited clip from Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech created the “mistaken impression” that he had directly called for violent action. The broadcaster said it will not air the footage again but ruled out offering any financial compensation.
Trump had previously demanded a retraction, apology and damages of $1 billion, threatening legal action if the BBC failed to comply. Although the broadcaster issued an apology, Trump has reiterated that the lawsuit will move forward, asserting that the BBC’s actions warrant legal accountability.
