President Donald Trump sued the BBC on Monday, seeking up to $10 billion from the British broadcaster over defaming him in a Panorama documentary that allegedly edited his Jan. 6, 2021, speech to make it appear he directly incited violence at the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, claims the BBC “maliciously sought to fully mislead its viewers around the world” by stitching together two entirely separate parts of Trump’s speech, which were nearly 55 minutes apart, to “intentionally misrepresent the meaning” of what he said.
“Such a dramatic distortion could never have occurred by accident,” the suit claims.
BBC Apologized Earlier, Had Argued Against Lawsuit
The BBC apologized to Trump last month over the edits, but argued that it did not constitute the basis for a defamation suit. The media outlet did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and Deborah Turness, head of BBC News, stepped down last month amid an unfolding controversy. Their resignations came at the peak of a crisis triggered by claims of “serious and systemic failings” in the BBC’s reporting on topics such as Trump, Gaza, and transgender issues.
Trump sought $5 billion in damages on two counts: alleging that the BBC defamed him, and that it violated Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Notably, BBC iPlayer, the main streaming platform that carries Panorama, and BBC One, the main TV channel that broadcasts it, are not available in the U.S. The episode at the center of the suit never aired in the U.S.
But Trump has said that the lawsuit can be filed in Florida because the BBC dispatched staff there to gather original footage for the documentary.
See also: Five Times Trump Lashed Out At Female Journalists — His New York Times Attack Is Just The Latest
Press Crackdown Intensifies
Trump had threatened to sue the BBC last month, in a move widely seen as the latest chapter in the U.S. leader’s escalating legal offensive against critical media outlets.
His administration has targeted The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and ABC News, alongside cuts to federal funding for NPR and PBS.
READ NEXT:
Image via Shutterstock
Recent Comments