US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the BBC, seeking up to $10 billion in damages over what he describes as the “intentional, malicious and deceptive” editing of a speech he delivered to supporters ahead of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
The lawsuit, filed in a US federal court, centres on an episode of the BBC’s Panorama programme broadcast just over a year ago. Trump alleges that the programme selectively edited his speech at the Ellipse in Washington, distorting its meaning and falsely portraying him as inciting violence during the events that led to the storming of Congress.
In the court filing, Trump argues that the edited footage removed key statements in which he urged supporters to act “peacefully” and “lawfully”, while emphasising more inflammatory language. His legal team claims the broadcast misled viewers worldwide, damaged his reputation, and contributed to what they describe as a sustained narrative portraying him as directly responsible for the violence at the Capitol.
“The BBC knowingly altered the context of the President’s words to advance a false and defamatory storyline,” the filing states, accusing the broadcaster of breaching journalistic standards and acting with reckless disregard for the truth.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, citing reputational harm, emotional distress, and alleged political and economic consequences suffered by Trump as a result of the broadcast. The claimed amount of up to $10bn would make it one of the largest defamation-related claims ever brought against a media organisation.
The BBC has strongly rejected the allegations, defending its reporting as accurate, fair, and in the public interest. A spokesperson for the corporation said the Panorama programme was based on publicly available footage, court records, and testimony related to the January 6 attack, and that the editing reflected standard broadcast practices.
“We stand by our journalism and will robustly defend this claim,” the spokesperson said, adding that the programme had been carefully reviewed by editorial and legal teams prior to broadcast.
Media law experts say the case faces significant legal hurdles, particularly given the high threshold public figures must meet to succeed in defamation claims in the United States. To prevail, Trump would need to prove not only that the broadcast was false, but that the BBC acted with actual malice, a standard that requires evidence of knowing falsehood or reckless disregard for the truth.
The lawsuit nonetheless adds to Trump’s long-running and combative relationship with major news organisations, which he has repeatedly accused of bias and misinformation. Since returning to office, he has taken a more aggressive legal posture toward media outlets, framing lawsuits as part of a broader effort to hold journalists “accountable”.
The case also raises complex jurisdictional questions, given that the BBC is a UK-based public broadcaster and the programme was produced and edited in Britain, even though it was widely viewed in the United States.
As legal proceedings begin, the lawsuit is likely to intensify debates over media responsibility, editorial freedom, and the ongoing political and legal fallout from the January 6 attack, an event that continues to shape American politics nearly five years on.
