Overview
- The BBC confirmed it deleted a single sentence from the first 2025 Reith Lecture, saying the change was made on legal advice under its editorial guidelines.
- Rutger Bregman says the cut line labeled Donald Trump "the most openly corrupt president in American history" and he alleges the decision came from the highest levels at the BBC.
- Bregman said the edit was made against his wishes and framed it as self-censorship driven by fear of litigation.
- The lecture was recorded four weeks earlier before about 500 people at the BBC Radio Theatre and aired Tuesday on BBC Radio 4, with distribution on the World Service.
- The move comes after a separate Panorama edit of a January 6 speech drew legal threats from Trump and preceded the resignations of director-general Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness.