Case began with the release of a documentary by the BBC last year, in which Trump’s speech before the riots of January 6, 2021 was edited in a way that, according to his lawyers, made it appear that he had incited ‘violent action’
The president of , , stated this Friday (14) that he will sue the BBC for financial damages ranging between US$1 billion (approximately R$5.3 billion) and US$5 billion (approximately R$26 billion). The action is a response to a controversy involving the editing of a video of Trump’s speech, in which the British broadcaster was accused of having distorted his words, giving the impression that he incited violence before the invasion of the Capitol in January 2021.
“We’re going to sue them for $1 billion to $5 billion, probably next week. I think I have to do that. They even admitted they cheated,” Trump said during a conversation aboard the presidential plane. The Republican added that the editing of the video caused outrage among Britons and strengthened his claims of “fake news”.
The case began with the release of a documentary by the BBC last year, in which Trump’s speech before the January 6, 2021 riots was edited in a way that, according to his lawyers, made it appear that he had incited “violent action” by his supporters. After protests, the BBC publicly apologized for editing the material and stated that the way the video was edited could have given the false impression that Trump had encouraged the invasion of the Capitol.
In response, Trump’s lawyers sent a letter to the British broadcaster demanding a formal retraction and the payment of compensation. The BBC, in its defense, stated that it “sincerely regrets the way in which the images were edited” but rejected the idea that there was any legal basis for a defamation lawsuit. The broadcaster also apologized directly to the former president, with BBC Chairman Samir Shah sending a personal letter to the White House expressing the broadcaster’s regret.
The controversy generated internal consequences at the BBC, leading to the resignation of its director general and the head of its news channel, BBC News. The situation has also generated repercussions in the United Kingdom, where the BBC’s image has been damaged, being seen by some critics as proof that the broadcaster had contributed to the spread of “fake news” about the former president.
Trump stated that, in addition to the lawsuit against the broadcaster, he intends to discuss the episode with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. However, Starmer, who supports the BBC’s editorial independence, did not take sides in the dispute between Trump and the broadcaster. The legal action that Trump promises to present should bring into focus not only the British broadcaster, but also the issue of press freedom and the limits of journalistic responsibility, especially in relation to the editing and presentation of sensitive content.
*With information from AFP
