Donald Trump Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Against BBC Over Panorama Documentary
Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC, focusing on its editing of a speech in the Panorama documentary. The core of the defamation claim is that the BBC maliciously, falsely, and defamatorily implied that Trump called for violence. An internal memo leaked by Michael Prescott described the programme as anti-Trump and stated that the spliced clips misled viewers, though it found no evidence of malice.
A key legal point in the case is jurisdiction, which depends on whether Panorama was accessible to residents in Florida. The BBC maintains that the programme was not distributed on US television channels and was geo-restricted to UK viewers on iPlayer. This limitation affects the potential for reputational harm in the US.
Trump's claim also alleges a lack of objective journalism in Panorama. The BBC counters this by explaining that the clip in question was part of an hour-long programme which included representation from Trump supporters.
Former UK prime minister Liz Truss has been cited in the case as alleging BBC bias and malice, with her status as a former prime minister noted in the proceedings. The reputational harm claim states that Trump's business, personal reputation, and future finances continue to suffer from the programme. The BBC argues against this by pointing to Trump’s later election victory and his substantial margin of support in Florida, indicating limited harm to his reputation.
