BBC apologizes to Trump for edited Jan. 6 clip but rejects basis for defamation claim

The BBC has apologized to President Donald Trump for an edited clip of his January 6, 2021, speech that appeared in a Panorama documentary but says it does not believe there is any basis for a defamation claim, according to a statement from the broadcaster.

The statement was released on Thursday, three days after Trump threatened legal action over the program Trump: A Second Chance?, which aired in late October 2024.

In its response, the BBC said its lawyers had written to Trump’s legal team following a letter received on Sunday.

BBC Chair Samir Shah also sent a separate personal letter to the White House, telling the President that he and the corporation were “sorry for the edit” of Trump’s Jan. 6 remarks that appeared in the documentary. The network said it has “no plans to rebroadcast” the program.

“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,” a BBC spokesperson said.

Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, previously accused the BBC of misleading viewers by combining separate portions of Trump’s Jan. 6 speech to suggest that he had incited violence at the U.S. Capitol.

The letter demanded a retraction, an apology, and compensation for what it described as severe financial and reputational harm, warning that Trump would file a lawsuit seeking at least $1 billion if the BBC did not comply by Nov. 14.

The dispute follows the resignations of BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News Chief Executive Deborah Turness, who stepped down amid mounting criticism over the documentary. Both acknowledged that editorial mistakes had occurred, while denying accusations of political bias.