Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the BBC in a Florida court over the editing of his January 6, 2021 speech in the Panorama documentary, seeking damages of up to $5 billion.
This represents a historic record claim for damages in a media lawsuit. The complaint states that the BBC deliberately distorted, deceived, and maliciously edited Trump's words, portraying him as inciting violence before the U.S. Capitol riot.
The case originated from the Panorama documentary aired in the United Kingdom before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It included clips of Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech that were edited to change the original context. In reality, Trump said on that day, "We will walk to the Capitol building, and we will support our brave senators and representatives," and over 50 minutes later, he said, "And we have to fight. We have to fight hard."
However, in the Panorama documentary, the BBC edited these two statements together into a single sentence,
"We will walk to the Capitol... and I will go with you, and we have to fight. We have to fight hard."
In November, the BBC admitted that the editing caused misunderstanding and gave the impression that Trump was directly calling for violence. The broadcaster issued an apology but refused to pay compensation, insisting there is insufficient legal basis for a defamation case. As of now, the BBC has not issued an official statement following Trump's lawsuit filing.
Trump had previously revealed his intention to sue the BBC, telling reporters, "I think I have to do it. They cheated. They changed the words that came out of my mouth."
Trump's legal team also stated that the editing not only constitutes defamation but also violates laws against unfair commercial practices, which is another reason for seeking multi-billion-dollar damages.
This case highlights the long-standing conflict between Donald Trump and major global media outlets, especially as he maintains significant political influence and prepares to challenge for power again in U.S. politics.
:BBC
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