The BBC has pledged to defend the lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump. The $5bn (£3.7bn) lawsuit brought by President Trump alleges that the corporation’s Panorama documentary portrayed him in a « false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory, and malicious » manner.
The complaint relates to the broadcaster’s editing of a speech he made on January 6 2021 on the day his supporters stormed the Capitol building. The documentary stitched together excerpts from the US president’s speech, giving the impression that he urged supporters to accompany him to the US Capitol and to “fight like hell”. The edited footage appeared in Trump: A Second Chance?, a BBC documentary that aired in the week before last year’s US election.
The BBC has since confirmed the Panorama programme “will not be broadcast again in this form or on any BBC platforms” following the backlash. In November, the BBC officially apologised to the president, adding that it was an « error of judgement ».
The US president is seeking damages of no less than $5bn (£3.7bn) under a defamation lawsuit.
He has also sued for $5bn for alleged violation of a trade practices law. Both lawsuits have been filed in Florida.
In a statement to The New York Times, the president’s legal team said the lawsuit was designed to hold the British network accountable for what it described as wrongdoing.
“The formerly respected and now disgraced BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally, maliciously and deceptively doctoring his speech in a brazen attempt to interfere in the 2024 presidential election,” the statement reportedly said.
A BBC spokesperson said: « As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. »
« We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
Mr Trump made his intention clear on Monday, he said: « I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth… I guess they used AI or something. They actually put terrible words in my mouth. »
Sir Keir Starmer is now facing increasing calls to step in, after Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged the prime minister to “stand up for the BBC” in response to what he described as Donald Trump’s “outrageous” legal threat.
The Lib Dem leader said: “Keir Starmer needs to stand up for the BBC against Trump’s outrageous legal threat and protect licence fee payers from being hit in the pocket.
“The Trump administration has clearly set out they want to interfere in our democracy, which includes undermining our national broadcaster. The prime minister needs to make clear this is unacceptable.”
Speaking on Mornings with Ridge and Frost, health minister Stephen Kinnock backed the BBC.
He said: « Well, it’s absolutely right that the BBC is an independent organisation.
« I think they have apologised for one or two of the mistakes that were made in that Panorama programme. But they’ve also been very clear that there is no case to answer in terms of Mr Trump’s accusations on the broader point about, libel or defamation. So, you know, I think it’s right that the BBC stands firm on that point.
« Yes, there were some mistakes made in that particular piece of film, but I think the broader argument that they were making, they’re right to stick by their guns on that. And I hope that they will continue to do so as an independent organisation, of course, funded by the licence fee, a hugely important institution. »
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