The BBC has announced it will defend itself against a $10-billion defamation lawsuit filed by former US President Donald Trump over a documentary that edited his 2021 Capitol speech. A spokesperson confirmed the corporation will not make further comments on ongoing legal proceedings.
The lawsuit, filed in Miami federal court, demands at least $5 billion in damages per count, citing defamation and violation of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The case revolves around a video that combined two parts of Trump’s January 6 speech, making it appear he explicitly encouraged the Capitol attack.
This legal action comes as the UK government begins a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter, which governs funding and operations, ahead of its 2027 renewal. The public consultation focuses on accuracy in reporting and possible reforms to the current mandatory fee-based funding model.
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UK Minister Stephen Kinnock backed the BBC, stating that the government strongly supports the broadcaster and agreed that no defamation case exists regarding Trump’s claims. Meanwhile, Trump’s legal team accused the BBC of maliciously editing the speech to influence the 2024 presidential election.
The controversy intensified after the leak of a memo revealing the editing error, which led to the resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and top news executive Deborah Turness. The BBC chairman also sent Trump an apology letter, acknowledging the mistake and admitting the broadcaster should have acted sooner.
Trump’s lawsuit is the latest among multiple legal actions he has initiated against media organizations, several of which resulted in multi-million-dollar settlements. The BBC continues to deny defamation allegations and intends to fight the case vigorously in court