What happened
The BBC has apologised to US President Donald Trump after editing his 6 January 2021 speech in a Panorama episode in a way the broadcaster says was an “error of judgement.” The programme — Trump: A Second Chance? — has been removed from the BBC website and a retraction published on its page.
- Advertisement -
- The BBC said excerpts from different parts of the speech were shown together in one sequence and apologised to President Trump for that editing.
- The Panorama episode will not be rebroadcast “in this form” on any BBC platforms, the corporation said.
- The broadcaster also said it was investigating a possible second instance of misleading editing involving a 6 January speech used on another programme.
BBC response and legal position
The BBC has written to President Trump’s legal team and said it regrets the edit while rejecting that the matter gives rise to a defamation claim. BBC chair Samir Shah has sent a separate personal letter to the White House expressing apology for the edit.
- Lawyers for the BBC responded to a letter from the president’s legal team; the corporation says it “strongly disagree[s] there is a basis for a defamation claim.”
- The BBC confirmed it has no plans to rebroadcast the documentary on any of its platforms.
- The corporation is investigating reports that another programme may have used edited phrases from the same speech in a misleading way.
Political fallout and leadership changes
The controversy has already produced immediate consequences inside the organisation: BBC Director‑General Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness resigned amid the row over the edited speech. The episode has also prompted scrutiny at a politically sensitive time for the broadcaster.
- Davie and Turness stepped down on Sunday following criticism over the edit that related to the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack.
- The matter comes as the UK government prepares to renegotiate the BBC’s royal charter, whose current term ends in 2027.
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his government have publicly sought to balance defending the BBC’s independence while avoiding taking sides in disputes involving Mr Trump.
President Trump’s response
Mr Trump has called the edit a “fraud” on the public and said he felt an obligation to pursue legal action. He has threatened a multibillion‑dollar lawsuit and reiterated the possibility of legal proceedings during recent media interviews.
- Trump described the broadcaster as having “defrauded the public” and signalled intent to take legal steps.
- The BBC, while apologising for the edit, maintains it does not accept that grounds for defamation exist.
- Both sides have exchanged legal correspondence as investigations and internal reviews continue at the BBC.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
