Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of misleadingly editing footage of a January 6, 2021 speech to suggest he incited violence at the United States Capitol.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday in federal court in Miami, seeks $5 billion in damages on two counts, totaling up to $10 billion. Trump alleges the BBC spliced together parts of his speech that included phrases such as "fight like hell" and a call to march on the Capitol, while omitting a section in which he urged supporters to protest peacefully.
The BBC has acknowledged an "error of judgment" in editing the clip and apologized, saying the segment gave a mistaken impression that Trump directly called for violent action. However, the broadcaster has said there is no legal basis for the lawsuit.
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Severe reputational and financial harm
Trump's filing claims the BBC's actions caused severe reputational and financial harm and argues that the broadcaster failed to show genuine remorse or implement safeguards to prevent similar editorial decisions in the future. The suit also alleges violations of Florida's deceptive and unfair trade practices law.
The edited clip appeared in a Panorama documentary aired shortly before the 2024 United States presidential election. The program was not broadcast in the United States, but its release triggered a major internal crisis at the BBC, leading to the resignations of two senior executives and the withdrawal of the documentary from all platforms.
Legal experts say Trump faces a high bar under United States law, which requires public figures to prove not only falsity and harm, but that the broadcaster knowingly misled viewers or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The BBC could argue that the documentary was substantially accurate and did not materially damage Trump's reputation.
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Multiple lawsuits: ABC, BBC, CBS
Trump has pursued multiple lawsuits against media organizations since returning to office, with some outlets, including CBS and ABC, reaching settlements. The BBC said it had no further comment following the filing and maintains its position that the claim lacks merit.