The US President has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion unless demands are met, his lawyer Alejandro Brito wrote a letter dated 9 November outlining the demands.
The letter says the BBC must issue a “full and fair retraction” of the Panorama documentary, the corporation must apologise and they must immediately and “appropriately compensating” Donald Trump, the deadline is set for Friday 15 November 2025 at 10pm UK time.
BBC Radio host star Lee Harris issued his damning verdict and wrote on X, “Dear leftists defending the BBC. This was not an ‘error’.
“This was not a ‘mistake’.
“This was not an ‘isolated incident’.
“Tim Davie has not been ‘exceptional’ or led with ‘integrity’. FACT: The BBC is institutionally biased and they deliberately misled the British public. It’s over.”
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Government tells BBC to ‘apologise’ to Trump as he threatens to sue for $1bn
On Monday BBC chairman Samir Shah issued an apology over the “error of judgement” in the Panorama video being edited.
Shah said, “We are now considering how to reply to him [Trump].”
He was asked if the US President will sue the BBC, Shah told culture editor Katie Razzall, “I do not know that yet, but he’s a litigious fellow so we should be prepared for all outcomes.”
There has been a lot of criticism over the BBC’s documentary and they have been accused of misrepresenting Donald Trump’s speech on 6 January, this has led to BBC News Chief Deborah Turness and the BBC Director General Tim Davie to resign.
President Trump wrote on Truth Social, “The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught ‘doctoring’ my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th.
The US President thanked The Telegraph who first reported the Panorama documentary had edited two clips.
Trump added, “These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!”
Local government minister Alison McGovern said that the BBC must apologise to Trump as the corporation spliced clips together of the President’s speech.
She was asked if the BBC should say sorry, McGovern said, “If they have made an editorial mistake, then they should apologise.
“The BBC is probably chock-full of policies on what they should do when they make editorial mistakes and I think they should stick to it.”
A Number 10 spokesman said, “This is a matter for the BBC.”
He added, “It’s clearly not for the Government to comment on any ongoing legal matters.
The spokesman was asked if the government will help to pay towards any damages that a court could award the US President.
He replied, “Obviously, that’s a hypothetical question.
“Again, it’s not for the Government to comment on any ongoing legal matters.
“Our position is clear: The BBC is independent and it’s for the corporation to respond to questions about their editorial decisions and, more broadly, we have a close relationship with the US on shared priorities, including security.”
