Donald Trump Takes Legal Action Against BBC for $10 Billion Over Defamation Claims
Trump's Lawsuit Against BBC
Washington: Former President Donald Trump has initiated a lawsuit against the BBC, demanding $10 billion in damages, alleging defamation and unfair trade practices.
In the 33-page legal document, Trump claims that the BBC has presented a "false, defamatory, and malicious portrayal" of him, which he argues is an attempt to meddle in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
The lawsuit accuses the broadcaster of manipulating segments of Trump's speech from January 6, 2021, to misrepresent his statements.
Filed in a Florida court, the suit seeks $5 billion for defamation and another $5 billion for unfair trade practices.
The BBC has yet to respond to inquiries from various media outlets regarding the lawsuit.
Previously, the BBC issued an apology to Trump for editing his January 6 speech but denied any defamation claims after he threatened legal action.
BBC chairman Samir Shah described the editing as an "error of judgment," which led to the resignations of key executives.
The speech in question occurred just before Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol while Congress was set to confirm Joe Biden's election victory, which Trump falsely claimed was fraudulent.
The BBC aired a documentary titled "Trump: A Second Chance?" shortly before the 2024 election, which combined quotes from two different parts of Trump's speech, creating a misleading impression of his words. Notably, it omitted his call for peaceful demonstrations.
Trump stated on Monday that he is suing the BBC for misrepresenting his words, emphasizing that they attributed negative statements to him that he never made.
He remarked during an Oval Office appearance, "They actually put terrible words in my mouth... but they didn’t say that, they used terrible words."
The lawsuit was filed in Florida, as the time limit for pursuing the case in British courts has lapsed.
Legal experts have noted potential difficulties for the case in the U.S., given that the documentary was not broadcast domestically.
The lawsuit claims that U.S. viewers can access the BBC's original content, including the documentary, through platforms like BritBox or VPN services.
The BBC, a 103-year-old institution funded by a license fee, is required to maintain impartiality and often faces scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum.