U.S. President Donald Trump Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over Edited Documentary

U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), accusing the publicly funded broadcaster of defamation and unfair trade practices over the editing of his January 6, 2021 speech in a Panorama documentary.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in a federal court in Miami, seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and an additional $5 billion for unfair and deceptive trade practices. Trump’s legal team alleges that the BBC misleadingly spliced portions of the speech, excluding moments where Trump called for peaceful protest, thereby portraying him as inciting violence during the U.S. Capitol riot.

Trump and his attorneys argue that the documentary, which aired ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, distorted his remarks and damaged his reputation. Trump said the BBC was “putting words in my mouth.”

The BBC has acknowledged an “error of judgment” in the editing of the footage and issued an apology but maintains that the documentary does not meet the legal standard for defamation. The controversy reportedly resulted in the resignation of senior BBC executives.

Meanwhile, the U.K. government has stated that the lawsuit is a matter for the BBC’s leadership, emphasizing the broadcaster’s editorial independence from the state.

Legal analysts say the case may face jurisdictional challenges, noting that the documentary was produced and aired in the United Kingdom and was not broadcast domestically in the United States.

Background: The Panorama program, titled Trump: A Second Chance?, was broadcast days before the 2024 election and included selectively edited excerpts from Trump’s January 6 speech edits Trump claims significantly altered the meaning of his remarks.