President Donald Trump threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion for allegedly trying to “interfere in the presidential election” last year by editing one of his speeches.
A letter sent to BBC Chairman Samir Shah at Television Centre by his legal team in Florida 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.
‘Due to their salacious nature, the fabricated statements that were aired by the BBC have been widely disseminated throughout various digital mediums, which have reached tens of millions of people worldwide. Consequently, the BBC has caused President Trump to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm’.
The letter from his lawyer, Alejandro Brito, adds: ‘The BBC is on notice’.
Mr Brito says Mr Trump has three demands. By close of business on Friday the BBC must issue a full and fair retraction, issue an apology, and ‘appropriately compensate President Trump for the harm caused’.
Mr Trump issued the legal letter after it emerged Panorama had selectively edited his speech before the January 6 Capitol riot to remove a section where he told supporters to demonstrate peacefully. The scandal has brought down the Director General Tim Davie and the CEO of BBC News, Deborah Turness.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘We will review the letter and respond directly in due course.’
It came as BBC chairman Samir Shah made an apology to Mr Trump and admitted he was willing to say sorry in person.
‘He’s a litigious fellow. So we should be prepared for all outcomes’, he said when asked if he knew whether the President will sue.
Mr Trump said last night that the BBC is a ‘corrupt’ organisation and called Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, who have resigned over the scandal, ‘very dishonest people’.
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team told NBC: ‘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 revelation comes shortly after Mr Shah used his first remarks since the resignations of director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness to mount a defence of the corporation.
Mr Shah accused Michael Prescott, who wrote a critical memo that ultimately prompted the resignations, of offering a ‘personal account’ which gives only a ‘partial’ view of events.
In a 1,600-word letter to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (CMS), Mr Shah admitted there were ‘occasions when the BBC gets things wrong’ but claimed the leaked report did not present the full picture.
‘Michael Prescott’s memo gives only a partial description of the evidence that editorial guidelines and standards committee received and considered,’ he said.
He insisted there were no issues the BBC had sought to ‘bury’, adding: ‘That interpretation is simply not true. The issues raised by Mr Prescott are precisely the issues that have been considered by the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee [EGSC] and the board.’
Mr Shah said Mr Prescott had relied on evidence compiled by the editorial guidelines and standards committee (EGSC), to produce the dossier.
‘There is another view that has gained currency in the coverage that the BBC has done nothing to tackle these problems. That is also simply not true,’ he said.
‘Over the three years Mr Prescott was an adviser to the EGSC, the BBC has: published corrections where we have got things wrong; changed editorial guidance to make the BBC’s position on issues clearer; made changes to leadership where the problems point to underlying issues; and carried out formal disciplinary measures.’
