The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has apologised to U.S. President Donald Trump after a Panorama episode edited parts of his 6 January 2021 speech, creating the false impression that he directly incited violence.
The broadcaster has pulled the 2024 program but has refused to pay compensation, despite Trump’s threat to sue for one billion dollars.
The scandal led to the resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness. A second misleading edit from a 2022 Newsnight broadcast surfaced hours before the apology, adding to scrutiny.
In a correction, the BBC admitted the edit made Trump’s remarks appear as a continuous call to action. Chair Samir Shah sent a personal apology to the White House, while the corporation maintains there is no defamation basis.
Trump’s lawyers demand a full retraction and compensation, alleging a wider pattern of defamation. Concerns intensified after the Telegraph published a leaked memo criticising BBC reporting on trans issues and BBC Arabic’s Israel-Gaza coverage.
