Trump Threatens $1 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over “Misleading” Speech Edit

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has said he feels an “obligation” to sue the BBC after the British broadcaster aired an edited version of one of his speeches that, according to his legal team, falsely suggested he encouraged “violent action” ahead of the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.

Speaking in a Fox News interview aired Tuesday, Trump stopped short of confirming formal legal action but said he believes the BBC’s conduct cannot go unchallenged.

“I guess I have to — why not?” Trump said. “I think I have an obligation to do it because you can’t allow people to do that. They defrauded the public, and they’ve admitted it.”

The remarks followed reports that Trump’s lawyers had sent a billion-dollar legal threat to the BBC on Monday, accusing the corporation of defamation and misinformation.

The controversy erupted after the BBC aired a documentary featuring a misleadingly edited clip of Trump’s 2021 speech, omitting a key segment where he called on supporters to “cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.” The edit made it appear as though Trump had incited violence during the Capitol riot.

The fallout has already claimed high-level casualties: both the BBC’s director general and its top news executive resigned on Sunday amid mounting backlash. BBC Chair Samir Shah issued a public apology on Monday, calling the edit an “error of judgment” and pledging to review Trump’s legal letter.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour government maintains partial oversight of the BBC, has attempted to balance defending the broadcaster’s independence with avoiding diplomatic friction with Washington.

Meanwhile, public opinion in Britain appears divided — a YouGov poll released Tuesday found that 57% of Britons believe the BBC should apologise directly to Trump, while 25% oppose such a move.

The dispute comes at a delicate political moment for the BBC, which is preparing to renegotiate its Royal Charter — the document that governs its operations — before its expiration in 2027.

Trump, who has frequently clashed with the media, has been accused of using lawsuits to suppress critical reporting since returning to power in January.

The BBC documentary at the heart of the controversy aired last year and featured Trump telling supporters he would “walk to the Capitol and fight like hell” — but excluded the portion of the speech in which he urged a peaceful show of support for lawmakers.