Tuesday, November 11, 2025 - President Donald Trump threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion for allegedly trying to "interfere in the presidential election" last year by editing one of his speeches.
A letter sent to BBC Chairman Samir Shah at Television
Centre by his legal team in Florida says: '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.
'Due to their salacious nature, the fabricated statements
that were aired by the BBC have been widely disseminated throughout various
digital mediums, which have reached tens of millions of people worldwide.
Consequently, the BBC has caused President Trump to suffer overwhelming
financial and reputational harm'.
The letter from his lawyer, Alejandro Brito, adds: 'The BBC
is on notice'.
Mr Brito says Mr Trump has three demands. By close of
business on Friday the BBC must issue a full and fair retraction, issue an
apology, and 'appropriately compensate President Trump for the harm caused'.
Mr Trump issued the legal letter after it emerged Panorama
had selectively edited his speech before the January 6 Capitol riot to
remove a section where he told supporters to demonstrate peacefully. The
scandal has brought down the Director General Tim Davie and the CEO of BBC
News, Deborah Turness.
A BBC spokesman said: 'We will review the letter and respond
directly in due course.'
It came as BBC chairman Samir Shah made an apology to Mr
Trump and admitted he was willing to say sorry in person.
'He's a litigious fellow. So we should be prepared for all
outcomes', he said when asked if he knew whether the President will sue.
Mr Trump said last night that the BBC is a 'corrupt'
organisation and called Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, who have resigned
over the scandal, 'very dishonest people'.
A spokesperson for Trump's legal team told NBC: 'The BBC
defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its
documentary in order to try and interfere in the Presidential Election.
President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies,
deception, and fake news'.
The revelation comes shortly after Mr Shah used his first
remarks since the resignations of director general Tim Davie and head
of news Deborah Turness to mount a defence of the corporation.
Mr Shah accused Michael Prescott, who wrote a critical
memo that ultimately prompted the resignations, of offering a 'personal
account' which gives only a 'partial' view of events.
In a 1,600-word letter to the Culture, Media and Sport
Committee (CMS), Mr Shah admitted there were 'occasions when the BBC gets
things wrong' but claimed the leaked report did not present the full
picture.
'Michael Prescott's memo gives only a partial description of
the evidence that editorial guidelines and standards committee received and
considered,' he said.
He insisted there were no issues the BBC had sought to
'bury', adding: 'That interpretation is simply not true. The issues raised
by Mr Prescott are precisely the issues that have been considered by the
Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee [EGSC] and the board.'
Mr Shah said Mr Prescott had relied on evidence
compiled by the editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), to produce
the dossier.
'There is another view that has gained currency in the
coverage that the BBC has done nothing to tackle these problems. That is also
simply not true,' he said.
'Over the three years Mr Prescott was an adviser to the
EGSC, the BBC has: published corrections where we have got things wrong;
changed editorial guidance to make the BBC's position on issues clearer; made
changes to leadership where the problems point to underlying issues; and
carried out formal disciplinary measures.'
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