The BBC is preparing to defend a $10bn (£8bn) lawsuit filed by Donald Trump, who accuses the corporation of defamation over an edited clip of his speech used in a Panorama documentary. The legal action, filed in a Florida court, alleges that the BBC “intentionally, maliciously and deceptively” defamed the US president. The same day, the UK government launched a review into how the BBC will be funded into the 2030s, with options including subscription services or advertising.
The lawsuit relates to an edit of a speech Trump gave on 6 January 2021, before the attack on the US Capitol. In the Panorama programme, an edit showed him saying: “We're going to walk down to the Capitol … and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.” The BBC later acknowledged the edit had given “the mistaken impression” that Trump had made a direct call to action, describing it as an “error of judgment”. It apologised to the president but rejected his demands for compensation.
In the complaint, Trump is seeking $5bn in damages on each of two counts: defamation and violation of a Florida law barring deceptive and unfair trade practices. The BBC has said it will defend the lawsuit. Lawyers for the corporation previously argued there was no malice in the edit, that Trump was not harmed because he was re-elected shortly after the broadcast, and that the programme was not distributed on BBC channels in the US, with iPlayer access restricted to UK viewers.
Trump's case cites agreements between the BBC and third-party distributors, including one that allegedly held licensing rights outside the UK. It also claims Florida residents may have accessed the documentary via the streaming service BritBox or using a VPN. The BBC has not yet responded to these specific claims.
The dispute has already led to the resignation of the BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, and head of news, Deborah Turness, in November. The separate government funding review will seek public views on how the corporation should be financed after the current licence fee settlement ends, as the number of licence holders declines. BBC executives are concerned about the lack of consensus over the future funding model.
The case is being closely watched for its implications for media freedom, with questions about whether a foreign leader can use litigation to pressure a public service broadcaster. The BBC has insisted there is no legal basis for the defamation claim.
