Monrovia, Liberia – Based on a documentary that purportedly misinterpreted his January 6, 2021 speech to suggest that he directly incited violence at the US Capitol, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion.
The BBC’s editing was deemed false, defamatory, insulting, deceptive, and inflammatory by Trump’s attorneys.
As a result, Trump calls for an apology, a complete retraction, and payment for what he claims to be significant financial and reputational damage. He has given the BBC till Friday to comply with his directives or risk legal action.
Chair Samir Shah has apologized for the deceptive edit, and the BBC has acknowledged a “error of judgment” and taken the video off its iPlayer service. Director-General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness, two senior BBC executives, resigned as a result of the issue.
