US President Donald Trump said on Friday he plans to sue the BBC for up to $5 billion after the British broadcaster admitted to wrongly editing a video of a speech he gave on January 6, 2021. The edit spliced together multiple excerpts, making it appear Trump incited the Capitol riot, which his lawyers called “false and defamatory.”
The BBC sent a personal apology to Trump, acknowledging the editing as an “error of judgement,” but rejected the defamation claim and said it would not rebroadcast the documentary. Trump criticized the apology as insufficient, saying the broadcaster’s actions misrepresented his speech and called the incident “beyond fake, this is corrupt.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “We’ll sue [BBC] for anywhere between a billion and five billion dollars.” pic.twitter.com/LSpf7dM3bT
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 15, 2025
Trump’s legal team initially demanded a retraction, apology, and at least $1 billion in damages, giving the BBC a Friday deadline. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he would file the lawsuit next week and described the editing as deliberate manipulation.
Read More: Apology made, lawsuit denied: BBC responds to Trump controversy
The controversy has plunged the BBC into its biggest crisis in decades. Director General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness resigned amid broader accusations of bias. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support for a strong and independent BBC while calling for internal reforms to restore trust.
The dispute has sparked debate over whether public funds could be used to settle the potential lawsuit, with some politicians warning that licence fee payers should not bear the cost of damages.
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