Truth To Power: Trump’s BBC Lawsuit Could Blow Up in His Face

Dec 20, 2025 | Donald Trump is suing the BBC for ten billion dollars over an edited Panorama documentary about his January 6th speech. The BBC admitted an error of judgement, apologised unreservedly, and senior executives resigned. That still wasn’t enough for Trump. He claims the BBC “put words in his mouth”, and has even hinted at AI fakery, despite no such claim appearing anywhere in his legal filing. In this video, I explain why the lawsuit is legally weak, politically hypocritical, and why it could backfire spectacularly on Trump himself. Once a US civil case enters discovery, transparency cuts both ways , and Trump may have just invited scrutiny he desperately doesn’t want.

BBC to Fight Trump’s $10bn Lawsuit, Saying It Should Be Dismissed

THE GUARDIAN: Corporation will argue it did not have rights to air film in US and it did not cause serious reputational harm

The BBC is preparing to argue Donald Trump’s $10bn court case against it should be dismissed, arguing it has no case to answer over the US president’s claims he was defamed by an episode of Panorama.

The development comes after Trump filed a 33-page complaint to a Florida court on Monday, accusing the broadcaster of “a false, defamatory, deceptive, disparaging, inflammatory and malicious depiction” of the president in the documentary.

On Tuesday, the BBC said it would defend itself over the suit. It is understood that the corporation is likely to argue that it did not have the rights to air the documentary in the US, and that the case should therefore be dismissed.

The move is an attempt to see the lawsuit off before litigation costs mount. It will be greeted with relief by supporters of the BBC who have argued that its editorial independence would be called into question if it sought to settle. » | Michael Savage, Media editor | Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Trump Sues BBC for $10bn - Could He Win?

Dec 16, 2025 | US President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the BBC over an edit of his speech on 6 January 2021 featured in Panorama documentary.

James O'Brien on Trump's Rob Reiner Comments

December 16, 2025

Trump was not the successful businessman he tries to make out that he was. Several of his businesses were flops: they went belly-up. But in the presidency, he has found a rich source of income: so, he uses the presidency as a cash cow. He simply ignores the emoluments clauses which should prevent any president from profiting from the presidency whilst in office and just makes money from his position with merch, with payments from foreign powers, and by suing companies in each wind direction. The latest is his desire to drain the BBC of its money. The BBC, of course, has only taxpayers’ money, because it is financed through a licence fee.

This must be Donald Trump’s way of thanking our King for that hugely extravagant, unprecedented second state visit, which was financed by the taxpayer; and it must be his way of punishing the British taxpayer even further by demanding the absurd amount of $10bn from them.

That second state visit couldn’t have done much for transatlantic relations, could it? A few days ago, Trump proved that he was no friend of Europe’s with his absurd pronouncements. Now, by suing the BBC , he is proving that he is no friend of the UK, either. The so-called special relationship is an illusion, and anyone who believes in must surely be deluded. — © Mark Alexander

US-Präsident Trump verklagt BBC auf 10 Milliarden US-Dollar

Dec 16, 2025 | Donald Trump hat die BBC auf zehn Milliarden US-Dollar verklagt. Er wirft dem britischen Sender vor, ihn in einer Sendung falsch dargestellt zu haben. Konkret geht es um einen Zusammenschnitt seiner Rede vom 6. Januar 2021, der laut Trump diffamierend und irreführend sei. Die Sendung wurde kurz vor der Präsidentschaftswahl im November 2024 ausgestrahlt. Trump behauptet, der Sender habe sich in die Wahl einmischen und den Ausgang zu seinem Nachteil beeinflussen wollen. Der Sender hat sich zwar entschuldigt, eine Entschädigung wollte er aber nicht zahlen. Für eine Verleumdungsklage sah das Medienunternehmen keine Grundlage. Der Fall wurde als maßgeblicher Grund für den Rücktritt von Senderchef Tim Davie und der für das Nachrichtengeschäft verantwortlichen Journalistin Deborah Turness angegeben.

Donald Trump Sues BBC for $10bn

THE TELEGRAPH: US president claims broadcaster intended to push ‘Leftist political agenda’ with doctored Panorama speech

Donald Trump has filed a $10bn (£7.4bn) lawsuit against the BBC, accusing the broadcaster of defamation.

The US president’s lawyers filed court papers in Florida on Monday over a doctored speech which made it appear he encouraged the Capitol Hill riot.

The Telegraph disclosed in November that Panorama spliced together parts of an address given by Mr Trump on Jan 6, 2021 before some of his supporters attacked the US Capitol building. The edit omitted Mr Trump’s calls for people to march “peacefully”.

Mr Trump’s legal filing claimed the doctored speech, broadcast a week before the 2024 election, was designed to interfere with the vote and is in keeping with the “disgraced” corporation’s “Leftist political agenda.”

The US president accused the BBC of defamation and of violating Florida’s deceptive and unfair trade practices act. He is seeking $5bn (£3.7bn) in damages for each count. » | Rob Crilly, Chief US Correspondent | Monday, December 15, 2025

Jonathan Pie: Trump vs The BBC

Nov 18, 2025 | Love or loathe The BBC, recent events have put the UK's journalistic sovereignty in peril.

Very strong language alert!

Donald Trump Says He Intends to Sue the BBC for Up To $5 billion | BBC Newscast

Nov 16, 2025 | Laura and Paddy discuss President Donald Trump’s decision to continue with legal action.

The BBC apologised to the president, saying it had unintentionally given "the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action" and said it would not be broadcast again. However, they would not pay financial compensation.

Chief North America correspondent Gary O'Donoghue joins us to talk about where we are with the legal proceedings, how much Americans care about this issue, and the political impacts after Trump said that Sir Keir Starmer was “embarrassed”.

Trump Says He Will Take Legal Action against BBC, Despite Its Apology

THE GUARDIAN: US president tells reporters he will sue the corporation for ‘anywhere between a billion and $5bn’

Donald Trump has told reporters he will still take legal action against the BBC next week, despite the British broadcaster apologising for a misleading edit of one of his speeches.

On Friday evening, the US president told reporters aboard Air Force One “we’ll sue them for anywhere between a billion and $5bn, probably sometime next week. We have to do it.”

The BBC sent a personal apology to Trump on Thursday, but said there was no legal basis for him to sue the public broadcaster over a documentary his lawyers called defamatory.

The corporation rejected his demands for compensation, after lawyers for Trump threatened to sue for $1bn (£760m) in damages unless the BBC issued a retraction, apologised and settled with him.

The BBC has also agreed not to show the edition of Panorama again. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Saturday, November 15, 2025

Trump-BBC Feud: White House Willing to ‘Bankrupt’ the Broadcaster

Nov 14, 2025 | “When asked if they were willing to quote unquote ‘bankrupt the BBC’, the White House said emphatically yes."

The “war of words” continues as the White House states they are willing to bankrupt the BBC, says US reporter Anita Powell.


I don’t wish to be rude, but does this American reporter need that ring in her nose? It would be so much easier to listen to her speaking without it. I keep having to look away when she speaks. — © Mark Alexander

BBC Apologises to Donald Trump but Refuses to Pay $1bn Compensation | BBC News

Nov 13, 2025 | The BBC has apologised to US President Donald Trump for a Panorama episode which spliced parts of a speech together, but rejected his demands for compensation.

The corporation also said it would not show the programme again. Lawyers for Trump have threatened to sue the BBC for $1bn (£759m) in damages unless the corporation issues a retraction, apologises and compensates him.

The apology comes after a second similarly edited clip, broadcast on Newsnight in 2022, was revealed by the Daily Telegraph.

'He Doesn't Stand a Chance': Simon Marks on the BBC-Trump Case

November 12, 2025

‘Trump Has No Power over the BBC’ | Former Assistant US Attorney

Nov 12, 2025 | “He doesn’t have that kind of power over the BBC.”

The BBC should “fight” Trump as the US president has only previously won lawsuits against US broadcasters because they didn’t wan’t to lose their multi billion dollar mergers, says former assistant US attorney, David Katz.


Trump is having a tantrum again. — © Mark Alexander

‘He’s Angry! He’s Mad!’ Trump Will Not Back Down from Suing BBC for $1bn | Alan Dershowitz

Nov 11, 2025 | “He’s not one that lets these things drop.”

There has to be a “profuse apology” from the BBC to avoid incurring the full wrath of Trump, says lawyer Alan Dershowitz.


Does Dershowitz realise just how HATED his president is? This action against the BBC will make people HATE HIM even more. The man is beyond redemption. Basically, what Trump wants to do is take taxpayers' money to enrich himself even further. Despicable! — © Mark Alexander

BBC Falls to Trump Fascism as Senior Leadership RESIGNS over Standard Speech Editing Controversy

Nov 11, 2025 | The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)—a global symbol of journalistic impartiality—is reeling today after the shock resignations of Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness. Their sudden departure follows an internal report alleging “serious and systemic” bias which was leaked and weaponized by Trump and his supporters.

ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.

'Donald Trump Is Undermining the BBC - and Interfering with Our Media'

Nov 10, 2025 | Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey reacts to the resignations of the BBC's director-general and news CEO over questions about bias after a BBC Panorama special spliced Donald Trump's 6 January 2021 speech so it appeared he had encouraged supporters to storm Capitol Hill. Davey defended the BBC and hit out at the US president over 'undermining' the corporation after he called their journalists 'corrupt'.

Trump should keep his nose out of Britain’s business. Trump has FU the USA and now he wants to FU the UK too. No! No! No! — © Mark Alexander

BBC Asks Huw Edwards to Return the Salary He Was Paid After His Arrest

Aug 9, 2024 | The BBC has asked Huw Edwards to return the salary he was paid during the period following his arrest in November last year, after his guilty plea to charges of having indecent images of children.

Read the full story here.

THE GUARDIAN: BBC asks disgraced presenter Huw Edwards to return £200,000 of salary: Corporation says journalist brought BBC ‘into disrepute’ and requests return of money paid since his arrest »

BBC's ‘Pattern of Behaviour’ with ‘Untouchable’ Presenters after Board Kept Edwards’ Arrest a Secret

Aug 4, 2024 | “The BBC is just in serious, serious trouble because they’re just not being straight on this.” TV Licence fee payers “deserve the truth” from the BBC in the after the revelation of the Huw Edwards scandal, says TalkTV presenter Peter Cardwell.

Mirror exclusive here.

Related »

BBC Wipes Huw Edwards from Archive but Role in State Occasions Presents Challenge

THE OBSERVER: Broadcaster removes image and voice from content as Welsh organisations erase disgraced presenter from websites

Huw Edwards’s image and voice are being urgently removed from hours of BBC archive footage, starting with family and entertainment content on iPlayer, the Observer has learned.

Photographs of the disgraced Welsh television news anchor are also being removed by prominent institutions and charities, and from websites throughout Wales, where he was a national figurehead. » | Vanessa Thorpe | Saturday, August 3, 2024

Man at centre of Huw Edwards case says he felt ‘groomed’ by presenter: Person who admitted sending BBC newsreader explicit messages and videos when in teens felt taken ‘advantage of’ »

Related material here »

Huw Edwards' Deeply ‘Consumed Personality’ Led Him to Commit Crime | Andrew Billen

Aug 1, 2024 | "People like Huw Edwards are a bit weird, a bit different, a bit untouchable, but have a bit more leeway in how they behave”. Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards was able to "hoodwink" other staff members to do as he feels, says The Times’s Andrew Billen.

Huw Edwards’ fall comes 14 months after career peak: Questions to be asked about whether sufficient safeguarding was in place to prevent another TV face exploiting power A measure of the speed and depth of Huw Edwards’ reputational collapse is that his appearance at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday came just 14 months after he reached his career peak, presenting the king’s coronation. The presenter has already suffered disgrace and career ruin and could, when sentencing occurs on 16 September, face jail. »

Related »