BBC on Trump's $10B Lawsuit: 'His Claim Fails'

UPDATE Jan 13, 2026 7:31 AM CST

The BBC wants US President Trump's complaint against it dismissed. On Monday, the UK broadcaster filed a motion to nix the American leader's $10 billion suit alleging that it had deceptively edited a speech he made to supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, per NBC News. The BBC said in its complaint that a) the state of Florida, where Trump filed suit, can't claim jurisdiction, since the program Trump is complaining about didn't air in the Sunshine State, and b) that Trump can't seek damages, as he ended up being reelected as president of the United States. "Claiming only vague 'harm to his professional and occupational interests,' his claim fails," the BBC filing notes. A BBC attorney also said that its program aired after Trump had already been indicted by a federal grand jury for trying to overturn the 2020 election, meaning it wasn't the show that hurt his reputation, per the AP.

Dec 16, 2025 12:30 AM CST

President Trump is taking his long-running feud with the media across the Atlantic, filing a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the BBC over its handling of his Jan. 6 speech to supporters who later breached the US Capitol. In a complaint lodged Monday in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, Trump accuses the broadcaster of "intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively" editing his remarks, the Guardian reports.

The disputed edit, aired in a Panorama episode roughly a year ago, spliced together lines from parts of the speech delivered nearly an hour apart, making it appear, Trump says, that he told the crowd: "We're going to walk down to the Capitol and I'll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell." Left out of the edit was a comment from Trump that supporters should remain peaceful, the AP reports. He is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of two counts in the lawsuit, CNN reports. The BBC previously called the edit an "error of judgment" and apologized to Trump, while maintaining there was no legal basis for a defamation claim. Director general Tim Davie and BBC News head Deborah Turness resigned over the incident last month. The BBC didn't immediately comment on the new lawsuit.

Trump's lawyers argue that the broadcaster's conduct was a "brazen attempt" to sway the 2024 US presidential race, noting the Panorama episode aired a week before the election and accusing the BBC of pursuing a "leftist political agenda." Although the episode didn't air in the US (BBC's flagship TV channel and its iPlayer streaming service aren't available in the country), Trump's filing says the Florida court has jurisdiction because the broadcaster does "substantial" business in the state through its website and the BritBox streaming service. The deadline for suing in Britain has already expired. Trump previewed the move earlier Monday, telling reporters: "I'm suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth." He continues to deny any responsibility for the Jan. 6 attack, which aimed to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's 2020 victory.