The scandal is gaining momentum: BBC refuses to compensate Trump
14 November 2025 12:14
The British media corporation BBC has apologized to US President Donald Trump for a documentary featuring his edited speech on the Panorama program that caused a scandal, but rejected Trump’s demand for compensation, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“The BBC sincerely regrets the way the video clip was edited, but firmly believes that there is no basis for a libel claim,” the broadcaster said.
In a personal letter to the White House, BBC Chairman Sameer Shah made it clear that he and the media corporation regretted the editing of Trump’s speech delivered on the day of the storming of the Capitol, the statement said. The scandalous program will not be re-broadcast or posted on BBC platforms.
Scandal over edited fragments of Trump’s speech
A documentary titled “Trump: A Second Chance?”, which was broadcast on the BBC shortly before the 2024 US presidential election, combined three parts of Trump’s speech delivered on January 6, 2021. The montage gave the impression that he was calling for violence when his supporters stormed the Capitol on the day the results of the 2020 presidential election were finalized.
The White House accused the BBC of spreading “fake news,” and Trump’s lawyers threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion if the corporation did not refute what was said in the film, apologize, and pay compensation. Amid the scandal, BBC Director General Tim Davey and Head of BBC News Deborah Turnes resigned.
“Like all public organizations, the BBC is not perfect and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. While not the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably influenced my decision,” Davey said in a letter posted on the company’s website.
In a statement, Ternes said that she was responsible for what happened.
