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Trump Says He Has ‘Obligation’ To Sue BBC Over Jan. 6 Edit as Friday Deadline Nears

The broadcaster has apologized for a Panorama edit of his 2021 speech, with legal analysts noting a Florida defamation claim must clear the high ‘actual malice’ bar.

Overview

  • Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito demanded a full retraction, apology and compensation, giving the BBC until 10 p.m. GMT Friday to respond or face a $1 billion suit in Florida.
  • In a Fox News interview, Trump said he feels an obligation to proceed but stopped short of confirming that legal proceedings have been filed.
  • The BBC said it will review the letter and respond, after Chairman Samir Shah called the edit an error of judgment and Director-General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness resigned this week.
  • The Panorama film spliced two lines from Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech nearly an hour apart, creating the impression he urged supporters to walk to the Capitol and “fight like hell,” and it aired days before the 2024 U.S. election.
  • Legal experts question the case’s prospects given the need to prove actual malice and the program’s limited U.S. availability, as UK lawmakers and BBC staff press governance issues including calls for board member Robbie Gibb to step down.