Tue Dec 16 04:17:31 UTC 2025: Trump Sues BBC for $10 Billion Over Edited Capitol Riot Speech
Miami, FL – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the BBC, seeking at least $10 billion in damages over a documentary that allegedly misrepresented his remarks before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The lawsuit, lodged in Miami federal court on Monday, accuses the British broadcaster of defamation and violating Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Trump claims the BBC selectively edited his speech, splicing together phrases to create the false impression that he directly incited violence at the Capitol.
“I’m suing the BBC for putting words in my mouth, literally… I guess they used AI or something,” Trump told reporters earlier in the day, as reported by CSPAN. He specifically pointed to the documentary’s use of his statements urging supporters to march on the Capitol and to “fight like hell,” while omitting his calls for peaceful protest.
Trump’s legal team argues that the documentary caused him “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
The BBC has previously apologized for the edit, admitting an “error of judgement” and acknowledging that it created a mistaken impression. However, the broadcaster maintains there is no legal basis for the lawsuit. They contend that Trump must prove the edit was not only false and defamatory, but also that the BBC knowingly misled viewers or acted recklessly, overcoming the US Constitution’s strong legal protections for free speech and the press.
Legal experts suggest the BBC could argue that the documentary was substantially true and its editing decisions did not create a false impression, or that the program did not damage Trump’s reputation.
Trump’s legal team alleges that the BBC has a “long pattern of deceiving its audience” in its coverage of the former president. The dispute, which arose after the documentary aired shortly before the 2024 election, previously triggered a public relations crisis for the BBC and led to the resignations of two senior officials.
Trump has a history of pursuing legal action against media outlets, with settlements reached in the past with CBS and ABC following his 2024 election victory. He has also filed lawsuits against The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and a newspaper in Iowa, all of which have denied wrongdoing.
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