Lawsuit Filed in Florida Federal Court
Former President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), seeking up to $10 billion in damages. The suit, lodged on Monday, December 15, 2025, in a federal court in Miami, Florida, accuses the BBC of 'intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively' editing a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021.
The complaint names the BBC, BBC Studios Distribution, and BBC Studios Production as defendants. Trump's legal team is seeking $5 billion for defamation and an additional $5 billion for alleged violations of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Allegations of Edited Documentary Footage
At the heart of the lawsuit is a BBC 'Panorama' documentary, reportedly titled 'Trump: A Second Chance?', which aired in the United Kingdom approximately one week before the 2024 US Presidential Election. Trump's legal team contends that the documentary spliced together two distinct parts of his January 6, 2021, speech, delivered on the Ellipse, that were separated by 55 minutes. This editing, they claim, omitted his call for peace and falsely depicted him as directly urging supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol.
A spokesperson for Trump's legal team stated that the BBC 'has a long pattern of deceiving its audience in coverage of President Trump, all in service of its own leftist political agenda.' Trump himself has publicly asserted that the BBC 'put words in my mouth' and speculated about the use of 'AI or something' in the editing process.
BBC's Response and Internal Repercussions
The BBC has acknowledged an error in judgment regarding the editing. In an apology, the broadcaster stated that its edit 'unintentionally created the impression that we were showing a single continuous section of the speech' and 'gave the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action.' However, the BBC has maintained that there is 'no legal basis' for a defamation claim and has refused to offer financial compensation.
The controversy surrounding the documentary led to significant internal changes at the BBC. In November, both BBC Director-General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness resigned from their positions. BBC Chairman Samir Shah reportedly sent a personal letter of apology to the White House concerning the matter.
Availability in the United States and Broader Context
While the 'Panorama' program primarily aired in the U.K., the lawsuit asserts that it was accessible to U.S. viewers through the BritBox streaming service and could also be viewed via Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
This lawsuit is not an isolated incident in Trump's history with media organizations. He has previously engaged in legal actions against news outlets, including a recent $16 million settlement with Paramount (CBS News) over an interview with Kamala Harris that he claimed was falsely edited.
5 Comments
Raphael
They put words in his mouth! This is unacceptable journalism and they deserve this lawsuit.
Leonardo
This is a victory for truth and against media bias. The BBC's apology isn't enough.
Donatello
He's just trying to fund his next campaign with these absurd claims. Typical.
Michelangelo
Trump fighting back against the fake news media is exactly what we need. They can't just lie with impunity.
Raphael
It's about time someone held the BBC accountable! They clearly admitted their deception.