The British Broadcasting Corporation has issued a formal apology to Donald Trump for what it described as an “error of judgment” in how it edited his speech near the White House on the day of the Capitol riot.
In a statement, the broadcaster acknowledged that the version of the speech shown in its 2024 documentary spliced together remarks made at different times — thereby creating the impression that President Trump was calling on his supporters to use violence at the Capitol.
The president’s legal team responded with a demand for a $1 billion USD lawsuit threat, requiring a retraction, apology, and compensation by Friday.
The BBC said: “While we sincerely regret the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim.”
The broadcaster also announced it will not rebroadcast the episode in question.
The controversy has triggered deeper institutional fallout at the BBC. Two senior executives — its Director-General and News Chief — resigned amid criticism over this editing and other political coverage.