BBC apologizes to Trump but refuses to pay compensation

The BBC has expressed regret to US President Donald Trump for a Panorama episode that combined parts of his January 6, 2021 speech. However, the corporation has refused to meet Trump’s compensation claim.

The BBC said the editing created a false impression that President Trump had directly incited violence. The organization also stated that the 2024 broadcast of the program will not be aired. Trump’s lawyers warned that if BBC did not publicly apologize, retract the statements, and provide compensation, they would file a lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages.

On Sunday, BBC director general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness resigned over the controversy.

The BBC further stated that the corrections and clarifications section reviewed how Trump’s speech had been edited. The editing gave the impression that an uninterrupted part of the speech was being shown, whereas it had been taken from various segments.

A BBC spokesperson said that in response to a letter from Trump’s legal team, BBC lawyers sent a reply on their behalf. Additionally, chairman Samir Shah sent a personal letter to the White House expressing regret.

The BBC acknowledged deep regret over the editing of the video clip but emphasized that there is no basis for the defamation claim. In the Panorama episode, the clip was shown as if Trump said, “We will walk to the Capitol. And I will be with you. And we fight. We fight desperately.”

In comments to Fox News, Trump said his speech was “brutally cut and spliced” and the program “misled the audience.”

On Sunday, BBC received a letter from Trump’s lawyers demanding a full retraction, a public apology, and appropriate compensation.

Khaborwala/TSN