TRUMP'S $1BN THREAT

BBC's ultimatum on Panorama speech edit

- BY NICOLA METHVEN TV Editor and SOPHIE HUSKISSON Political Correspondent

DONALD Trump has threatened a billion-dollar legal action against the BBC over its editing of his 2021 Capitol Hill speech on Panorama.

It came as the government defended the corporation in the wake of the resignations of director-general Tim Davie and BBC News boss Deborah Turness.

The Beeb yesterday confirmed it had received a letter threatening legal action from the US President and would respond in due course.

But Trump's claim that the BBC has corrupt journalists was rejected by Downing Street as it threw its weight behind the “internationally renowned” institution.

It came as BBC chair Samir Shah apologised for the Panorama episode in which two parts of a Trump speech were edited together in a way which made him appear to inflame the 2021 Capitol riots.

The clip, broadcast in 2024, led to Trump's press secretary accusing the BBC of “100% fake news”.

The letter from Trump counsel Alejandro Brito demanded that “false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements” about Trump must be retracted by Friday.

SUFFER

Critics said the Panorama edit removed a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.