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Trump to sue BBC for up to US$5 billion: ‘they’ve even admitted they cheated’

The BBC has apologised to Trump for editing his 2021 speech, calling it an ‘error of judgment’, but rejected the defamation claim

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Security guards stand outside BBC’s Broadcasting House on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Reuters
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he would likely sue the BBC next week for as much as US$5 billion after the British broadcaster admitted it wrongly edited a video of a speech he gave but insisted there was no legal basis for his claim.
The British Broadcasting Corporation has been plunged into its biggest crisis in decades after two senior leaders resigned following accusations of bias, including over the editing of Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the Capitol.

Trump’s lawyers had initially set a Friday deadline for the BBC to retract its documentary or face a lawsuit for “no less” than US$1 billion. They also demanded an apology and compensation for what they called “overwhelming reputational and financial harm”.

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The BBC, which has admitted its editing of Trump’s remarks was an “error of judgment,” sent a personal apology to Trump on Thursday but said it would not rebroadcast the documentary and rejected the defamation claim.

US President Donald Trump talks to members of the press on board Air Force One en route to Florida on Friday. Photo: Reuters
US President Donald Trump talks to members of the press on board Air Force One en route to Florida on Friday. Photo: Reuters

“We’ll sue them for anywhere between US$1 billion and US$5 billion, probably sometime next week,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Florida for the weekend.

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