BBC braces for high-stakes legal battle as Trump vows multibillion-dollar lawsuit
Trump has confirmed he intends to sue the broadcaster, accusing it of altering his remarks by splicing parts of his speech together. BBC chairman Samir Shah has described Trump as “a litigious fellow,” underscoring concern inside the corporation about the scale of the battle ahead
The BBC is preparing for a potentially long and costly legal dispute with former US President Donald Trump over an edited segment of a 2021 speech broadcast in a Panorama programme, an episode the corporation has acknowledged as an error but says caused no harm.
Trump has confirmed he intends to sue the broadcaster, accusing it of altering his remarks by splicing parts of his speech together. BBC chairman Samir Shah has described Trump as "a litigious fellow," underscoring concern inside the corporation about the scale of the battle ahead, reports the BBC.
Trump says the programme "changed the words coming out of my mouth" and that he is "clearly hurt" by what he calls an "egregious" edit. He said Panorama combined two clips to give a "totally different meaning". He has rejected the BBC's explanation that the mistake was unintentional.
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Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said the claim could reach "anywhere between $1bn [£759m] and $5bn". The BBC's annual licence fee income last year was £3.8 billion.
The broadcaster apologised to Trump for the edit but has refused to offer compensation, with senior figures concluding that paying damages using licence fee funds was a "non-starter". BBC executives believe they can argue that the programme caused no harm, noting Trump was elected president soon after the broadcast and that it did not air on any US channels.
The dispute comes at what officials describe as a sensitive period for the corporation, which is preparing for discussions on its next charter ahead of a 2028 renewal. Senior staff fear the legal fight could drain resources and attention at a time when the BBC is focused on its long-term funding and governance.
The confrontation also carries political weight. Trump has called the BBC "worse than fake news" and accused its journalists of corruption. UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has defended the broadcaster, saying BBC News is widely trusted and describing the corporation as "a light on the hill for people in times of darkness".
Officials acknowledge the row might have been avoided had the edit been addressed earlier. The BBC may consider seeking government assistance through informal channels, though it remains unclear whether Prime Minister Keir Starmer will want to intervene given the potential diplomatic implications with the US administration.
