The BBC apologised for an edited clip that appeared to conflate two parts of Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 speech but said the error did not amount to defamation. Trump has threatened a $1 billion lawsuit and his lawyers accused the broadcaster of deliberately misleading edits. The controversy contributed to the resignations of senior BBC news executives, and the BBC has said it will not rebroadcast the documentary.
BBC Apologizes for Jan. 6 Clip Edit but Rejects Defamation Claim as Trump Threatens $1B Lawsuit
The BBC apologised for an edited clip that appeared to conflate two parts of Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 speech but said the error did not amount to defamation. Trump has threatened a $1 billion lawsuit and his lawyers accused the broadcaster of deliberately misleading edits. The controversy contributed to the resignations of senior BBC news executives, and the BBC has said it will not rebroadcast the documentary.
02:26 AM, 11/14/2025Politics
BBC apologises for edited Jan. 6 clip but says error is not defamation
The BBC has apologised to former President Donald Trump for an editing error in a Panorama segment that made it appear he said he would "walk to the Capitol... to fight like hell." The broadcaster said it regretted the way the video was cut, but maintained the mistake did not meet the legal threshold for defamation.
What happened
In an October edition of Panorama, footage was sequenced in a way that suggested two separate parts of Mr. Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, speech were contiguous. In full context, Trump first told the crowd he would walk with them "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard," and later in the speech used the phrase "fight like hell." Critics said the edit created a misleading impression; Trump’s legal team called it deliberate.
BBC statement: "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."
Trump legal team: "The BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its documentary in order to try and interfere in the Presidential Election. President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news."
Aftermath and consequences
The row prompted threats of legal action from Trump, who said he planned to sue the BBC for $1 billion. The controversy also preceded the resignations of senior BBC news executives, including Director-General Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News, according to reports. BBC Chair Samir Shah sent a personal letter of apology to the White House and the broadcaster has said it has no plans to rebroadcast the documentary Trump: A Second Chance? on its platforms.
This episode highlights the sensitivity of editing context around high-profile political speeches and the potential reputational and legal consequences for news organisations when audiences perceive editing as misleading.
Source: reporting originally published by HuffPost.