WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
He alleges the publicly funded broadcaster edited footage of his January 6, 2021 speech in a misleading manner that falsely suggested he encouraged supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol.
According to the lawsuit, Trump claims the BBC spliced together portions of his speech, including remarks urging supporters to march to the Capitol and the phrase “fight like hell”, while omitting statements in which he called for peaceful protest.
Trump argues the edited clips created a false narrative portraying him as directly inciting violence.
The legal action opens an international front in Trump’s long-running battle with media organizations whose coverage he has repeatedly described as inaccurate, biased, or unfair. The lawsuit alleges that the BBC’s presentation damaged his reputation by presenting a distorted account of his words and intentions on the day of the Capitol riot.
The BBC has not yet issued a public response to the lawsuit. The case adds to ongoing debates over media responsibility, editorial context, and the boundaries of defamation law in politically charged reporting.
