President Trump threatens legal action against the BBC for manipulating his January 6 speech, accusing the broadcaster of deliberate election interference.
In a blistering rebuke of Britain’s publicly funded broadcaster, U.S. President Donald Trump declared Tuesday night that he has an “obligation” to sue the BBC, after the network was caught editing and misrepresenting his January 6, 2021, speech — omitting critical language in which he urged protesters to remain “peaceful.”
Speaking to Laura Ingraham on Fox News, Trump accused the BBC of “defrauding the public” and manipulating history for political ends. “They actually changed my January 6th speech, which was a beautiful, calming speech,” Trump said. “They made it sound radical — they actually changed it. That’s very dishonest.”
The scandal erupted after internal BBC documents revealed that producers spliced separate moments of Trump’s 2021 speech together and cut the segment calling for peace, misleading viewers into believing he was inciting violence. The deception sparked a political earthquake in London. BBC Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of News and Current Affairs Deborah Turness both resigned on Sunday amid mounting outrage and accusations of institutional bias.
The BBC’s conduct, critics say, violates its Royal Charter — which mandates strict impartiality and factual accuracy. The revelation has reignited debate over state-funded media bias, particularly against conservative and pro-Israel voices.
Trump, calling the act “an attack on democracy itself,” wrote on Truth Social:
“These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a foreign country — one that many consider our Number One ally. What a terrible thing for democracy!”
Legal experts say Trump’s potential lawsuit could test the jurisdictional limits of cross-border media accountability, as the edited clip was aired globally and rebroadcast by numerous networks. The BBC has confirmed receiving a legal notice from Trump’s attorneys and stated it will “respond in due course.”
The scandal underscores a broader erosion of media trust in the West — as even flagship institutions once considered the “gold standard” of journalism are now accused of partisan manipulation and foreign interference.
For Trump, it’s not merely about image — it’s about truth, accountability, and restoring faith in democracy. “They lied to the world,” he said, “and they will be held responsible.”
