Trump Threatens Legal Action Over BBC Documentary Edit

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against the BBC over the editing of a documentary broadcast a week before the US presidential election.

The BBC acknowledged that the edited segment of a Trump speech gave a misleading impression and said it should have been handled more carefully. The documentary had spliced together parts of Trump’s speech, making it appear as though he was encouraging the January 2021 Capitol riot.

A BBC spokesperson said, “We will review the letter and respond directly in due course.”

Samir Shah, chairman of the publicly funded broadcaster, said the BBC is “considering” how to respond to Trump’s communication. “I do not know yet whether he will sue, but he is a litigious fellow, so we should be prepared for all outcomes,” he added.

Shah also defended the organisation’s efforts to address concerns, citing actions at BBC Arabic and its long-form journalism unit. He rejected claims of inaction and defended the BBC against allegations of anti-Israel bias raised in a leaked memo by former adviser Michael Prescott.

The White House did not immediately comment on the matter.