Trump Vows to Sue BBC for Up to $5 Billion Over ‘Misleading’ Video Edit

• US President Donald Trump says he will file a lawsuit seeking up to $5 billion in damages against the BBC, despite the broadcaster apologizing for a misleading edit of his pre–Capitol riot speech.

US President Donald Trump on Friday escalated his face-off with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), announcing plans to sue the network for $1 billion to $5 billion over what he described as a “cheated and misleading” edit of one of his speeches.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said: “We’ll sue them for anywhere between a billion and five billion dollars, probably some time next week. I think I have to do it. They’ve even admitted that they cheated.”

The dispute stems from a BBC documentary that featured an edited clip of Trump’s remarks ahead of the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot — an edit that critics said implied he directly encouraged violence. Trump’s lawyers sent a letter to the BBC on Monday, accusing the broadcaster of defamation and demanding an apology and financial compensation by Friday.

While the BBC conceded it had created a misleading impression and issued an apology, it firmly rejected Trump’s claim of defamation.

In a statement Thursday, the broadcaster said its chairman, Samir Shah, had sent “a personal letter to the White House making clear to President Trump that he and the corporation are sorry for the edit of the president’s speech.”

However, it added: “While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim.”

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The controversy has already triggered significant fallout within the organization, including the resignation of the BBC’s director-general and its top news executive.

Trump also said the backlash had enraged the British public: “The people of the UK are very angry about what happened… it shows the BBC is fake news.”

He added that he intended to raise the matter with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying the British leader had already reached out.

“I’m going to call him over the weekend. He actually put a call into me. He’s very embarrassed,” Trump claimed.

The BBC, meanwhile, maintains its independence, while Starmer has avoided taking sides against the US president.