The BBC apologized to President Donald Trump for editing a speech he gave on Jan. 6, 2021, but stated that the mistake does not constitute defamation.
“While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim,” the network said in a statement Thursday.
The statement was in response to Trump’s threat of legal action after the BBC was accused of splicing together two sections of Trump’s speech before rioters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.
In one part of the “Panorama” show special broadcast in October, Trump appears to say he was going to walk to the Capitol with his supporters to “fight like hell.”
Trump actually said he would walk with them “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” It was later when he called on his supporters to “fight like hell.”
Trump said he planned to sue the BBC for $1 billion over the error.
“The BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its documentary in order to try and interfere in the Presidential Election,” a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team said. “President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news.”
Last month, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, resigned amid the claims.
“BBC Chair Samir Shah has separately sent a personal letter to the White House making clear to President Trump that he and the Corporation are sorry for the edit of the President’s speech on 6 January 2021, which featured in the programme,” the BBC’s recent statement said.
“The BBC has no plans to rebroadcast the documentary ‘Trump: A Second Chance?’ on any BBC platforms,” it added.
