Former U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the BBC, accusing the British public broadcaster of misleadingly editing footage of his January 6, 2021, speech to suggest he incited violence at the U.S. Capitol.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in a Miami federal court, claims the BBC spliced together remarks in which Trump urged supporters to march to the Capitol and told them to “fight like hell,” while omitting a portion where he called for peaceful protest. Trump argues the edit falsely portrayed him as encouraging violent action.
Trump is seeking $5 billion in damages on each of two counts, alleging defamation and violations of Florida’s deceptive and unfair trade practices law.
The BBC has apologized, admitting an error of judgment and acknowledging that the edit gave a misleading impression. However, the broadcaster maintains there is no legal basis for the lawsuit.
The controversy stems from a clip aired on the BBC’s Panorama documentary shortly before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The fallout triggered a major crisis at the broadcaster, leading to the resignations of its two most senior officials. The BBC has since said it will not rebroadcast the documentary.
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team accused the BBC of repeatedly deceiving audiences in its coverage of Trump, while the BBC reiterated that its position remains unchanged.
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