Washington DC [US], November 11: US President Donald Trump has threatened a billion-dollar legal action against the BBC over the editing of a documentary.
BBC Chairman Samir Shah has apologised for an "error of judgment" over the editing of a speech by Trump before the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The apology follows the resignation of two of the corporation's most senior figures on Sunday - chief executive of BBC News Deborah Turness and director-general Tim Davie - who announced their departure from the BBC after concerns were raised in Michael Prescott's report that the speech had been selectively edited.
The Prescott memo raised concerns about the way clips of Trump's speech were spliced together to make it appear he had told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to "fight like hell." The letter, from Trump counsel Alejandro Brito, demands that "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements" made about Trump must be retracted immediately, Fox News reported.
Critics said the Panorama edit was misleading and removed a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
A BBC spokesperson said: "We will review the letter and respond directly in due course." The document from Trump's lawyers adds: "Failure to comply will leave President Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to recover damages for the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that the BBC has caused him to suffer, with all rights and remedies being expressly reserved by President Trump." The letter gives the corporation a Friday deadline to respond, adding if it does not, Trump will be "left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than 1,000,000,000 dollars in damages." It concludes: "The BBC is on notice." Trump has a history of suing news organisations in the United States.
He previously settled a defamation case against ABC News after star anchor George Stephanopoulos falsely said he had been found "liable for rape." Trump also settled a legal dispute with CBS News over an interview it broadcast on its 60 Minutes programme with former vice president Kamala Harris.
He is currently engaged in legal action with the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Downing Street has said the BBC is not corrupt nor institutionally biased, appearing to hit back at critics of the public broadcaster including Trump.
The prime minister's official spokesman told reporters: "On the question of is the BBC corrupt?: No. The BBC has a vital role in an age of disinformation... where there's a clear argument for a robust, impartial British news service to deliver, and that case is stronger than ever."
Source: Qatar Tribune
