Trump Sues BBC $10B Over Altered Jan. 6 Video

The former president has initiated a federal lawsuit against the BBC, claiming that the global news organization "put terrible words" in his mouth and made it appear in a video that he called for violence during the January 6, 2021 riots that led to thousands storming the U.S. Capitol.

"I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth," President Donald Trump stated to reporters at the White House on Monday. "They actually put terrible words in my mouth having to do with January 6 that I didn't say."

The $10 billion defamation lawsuit was filed in response to a documentary segment published by the British news broadcaster last year before the presidential election. The segment included an edited video of a speech Trump gave to supporters on January 6, which was later admitted by BBC officials to have been altered in a way that did not accurately reflect what Trump had said.

"The beautiful words I said, the beautiful words, talking about patriotism and all of the good things I said" were cut, Trump claimed regarding the video.

Trump accused the BBC of defaming him by editing together parts of a January 6, 2021 speech, including one section where he told supporters to march on the Capitol and another where he said "fight like hell." This edit omitted a part where he called for peaceful protest.

The president also suggested that the British company used AI to "have me saying things I never said."

BBC leadership has apologized to Trump, admitted an error of judgment, and acknowledged that the edit created a mistaken impression that he had directly called for violent action. However, the BBC has stated there is no legal basis to sue.

The lawsuit was filed on the evening of December 15, just hours after the president told reporters in the Oval Office that he planned to sue the company. The case was filed in the Southern District of Florida.

"The formerly respected and now disgraced BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring his speech in a brazen attempt to interfere in the 2024 Presidential Election," a spokesperson for the Trump legal team stated in a statement on December 16.

"The BBC has a long pattern of deceiving its audience in coverage of President Trump, all in service of its own leftist political agenda. President Trump’s powerhouse lawsuit is holding the BBC accountable for its defamation and reckless election interference just as he has held other fake news mainstream media responsible for their wrongdoing."

Trump's lawsuit alleges that the BBC defamed him and violated a Florida law that bars deceptive and unfair trade practices. He is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the lawsuit's two counts.

In a response to a request for comment, a BBC spokesperson on December 16 stated that the company would defend itself in the case and would not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

A BBC statement from November 13 said, "While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim." According to the statement, BBC Chair Samir Shah sent a personal apology letter to the White House, and the company had no plans to rebroadcast the Trump: A Second Chance? documentary.