BBC Apologises to Trump for Edited Speech but Rejects $1bn Compensation Demand

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has issued an apology to US President Donald Trump over the editing of his 6 January 2021 speech in a Panorama documentary but firmly declined his administration’s demand for $1 billion in compensation.

In a statement on Thursday, the public broadcaster confirmed that its Chair, Samir Shah, sent a personal letter to the White House expressing regret over the misleading edit of Trump’s address, delivered shortly before his supporters stormed the US Capitol as Congress prepared to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.

The apology followed a lawsuit threat issued earlier in the week by the Trump administration, which accused the BBC of causing “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” and gave the broadcaster until Friday to respond.

“We accept that our edit unintentionally created the impression that we were showing a single continuous section of the speech, rather than excerpts from different points,” the BBC said in a retraction. “This gave the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action.”

Despite acknowledging the error, the BBC stressed that its actions did not amount to defamation and declined the compensation request, noting no evidence of damage to Trump’s reputation—especially since he won the 2024 US presidential election.

The controversy stems from a Panorama episode titled Trump: A Second Chance?, aired days before the 2024 election. The documentary, produced by an external company, spliced together three quotes from two different parts of Trump’s speech, removing segments where he urged supporters to protest peacefully.

The fallout triggered resignations at the BBC, including Director-General Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness, both of whom stepped down last Sunday, citing the damage the scandal had caused to the organisation.

Legal experts say Trump faces significant hurdles in pursuing a case in either the UK or the US. Deadlines for filing a defamation suit in the UK expired over a year ago, and damages rarely exceed £100,000. In the US, the programme was never broadcast, making it difficult to prove reputational harm among American viewers.

The BBC added that it has no plans to rebroadcast the documentary.