President of the United States, Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the BBC, seeking $10 billion in damages due to what he claims was an edited version of his speech from 2021. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, accuses the British broadcaster of defamation and violating Florida’s deceptive trade practices.
Trump alleges that the BBC altered his speech to make it seem like he directly incited the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. He stated that the edits put “words in my mouth,” even suggesting the use of AI in the editing process.
The controversial documentary aired before the 2024 election, on the BBC’s “Panorama” program, and reportedly spliced together two separate sections of Trump’s speech.
The lawsuit specifies damages of at least $5 billion for each of the two counts against the BBC. The BBC has refuted the claims, with chairman Samir Shah apologizing and acknowledging errors. He mentioned that the organization was experiencing internal turmoil following renewed scrutiny of the edited video.
This lawsuit adds to a series of legal actions Trump has taken against news organizations, many resulting in settlements.
