BBC Apologizes to U.S. President Donald Trump over Misleading Edit in Documentary

Addis Ababa, November 13, 2025 (FMC) — The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has issued a formal apology to U.S. President Donald J. Trump for a misleading edit of his January 6, 2021 speech featured in a documentary, while rejecting his defamation claim and declining to pay the compensation sought.

According to reports, the BBC acknowledged that its editing of the footage “did give the impression of a direct call for violent action” in the Panorama documentary titled “Trump: A Second Chance?”. The apology was delivered in a letter to the White House by BBC Chair Samir Shah, who expressed the corporation’s “sincere regret” over the matter.

The broadcaster stated that the edit was an error of judgment and confirmed that the programme would not be rebroadcast. However, it maintained that there was “no basis for a defamation claim” and therefore declined to meet President Trump’s demand for compensation.

The issue emerged after the documentary combined two separate excerpts from the President’s speech—delivered nearly an hour apart—creating a misleading impression that his words were directly linked to the events that followed at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The controversy led to the resignations of BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News Director Deborah Turness, reflecting the seriousness of the editorial lapse.

President Trump’s legal representatives had called for the withdrawal of the programme, a public apology, and compensation of up to one billion U.S. dollars. The BBC reiterated that while it regretted the error, it viewed the defamation claim as unfounded.

The development has prompted renewed discussion about editorial accountability and the importance of maintaining impartiality and accuracy within publicly funded media institutions, as reported by CNN.