US President Donald Trump stated he felt an “obligation” to sue the BBC for a misleading edit of his speech, but stopped short of announcing legal action during a Fox News interview aired on Tuesday.
On Monday, Trump’s lawyers threatened the British broadcaster with a billion-dollar lawsuit, as per a letter seen by AFP, after the BBC apologized for implying the president had incited “violent action” before the 2021 US Capitol attack.
In the Fox News interview recorded Monday, Trump was asked about his intentions to sue the BBC.
“I suppose I have to, why not?” Trump remarked, making his first public comments on the potential lawsuit.
“I feel obligated because you can’t let people do that,” he added, without confirming if formal defamation proceedings had started.
“They deceived the public and admitted it.”
Trump noted that Britain “is supposedly one of our great allies,” adding “the government has a stake in that one,” referring to the BBC.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government is carefully balancing support for the publicly funded broadcaster’s independence without appearing to oppose Trump.
The BBC’s director general and top news executive resigned on Sunday due to the controversy.
The BBC announced it would “review” the letter from Trump’s legal team and issued a public apology for the edit.
The dispute arises at a politically sensitive moment for the BBC, as it prepares to renegotiate the Royal Charter, which governs its operations, set to expire in 2027.
Since returning to power in January, Trump has been accused of filing numerous lawsuits to suppress media criticism in the US.
The BBC documentary containing the edited Trump speech aired last year.
It seemed he told supporters he would march to the US Capitol with them and “fight like hell,” but also said during the speech: “We’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”
