Trump Preparing To Sue BBC For $1 Billion Over Edited Jan. 6 Speech

President Donald Trump is preparing to sue the BBC for $1 billion after the U.K. broadcaster’s flagship current affairs program “doctored” a speech he delivered on Jan. 6, 2021.

The president sent a letter to the corporation on Monday threatening legal action over the row, which has already led to the resignations of two senior BBC executives.

Director-General Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, both quit on Sunday amid mounting criticism of the broadcaster’s handling of the controversy.

Trump is demanding the BBC apologize, issue a retraction and “appropriately compensate” him.

According to the New York Times, Trump’s lawyers have given the BBC until Friday to “comply.”

The legal letter says: “President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 (One Billion Dollars) in damages. The BBC is on notice.”

A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team said: “The BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its documentary in order to try and interfere in the Presidential Election. President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news.”

The BBC has confirmed that it has received the legal letter from Trump.

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

A 19-page dossier on alleged BBC bias, seen by the Daily Telegraph, was sent to the corporation’s board by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the corporation’s editorial guidelines and standards committee.

It said a “Panorama” show special broadcast last October had spliced together two sections of Trump’s speech before the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2020, to give a misleading impression of what he actually said.

In one section, Trump appears to say he was going to walk to the Capitol with them to “fight like hell.”

However, Trump actually said he would walk with them “to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

He called on his supporters to “fight like hell” 54 minutes later in the speech amid false claims that the 2020 election had been stolen from him.

BBC Chairman Samir Shah apologized on Monday for the “error of judgment” by the program’s makers.

He said he will “personally ensure that the BBC continues to take the necessary actions in the future to ensure the BBC retains the trust and confidence of the public we serve.”

He also called impartial, truthful and evidence-back journalism the “sacred job of the BBC.”