The BBC confirmed on Thursday that its chairman has written directly to U.S. President Donald Trump, offering an apology for a misleadingly edited segment of one of his speeches.
The corporation, however, firmly rejected Trump’s assertion that the incident amounts to defamation.
The latest remarks come as the broadcaster faces mounting scrutiny over its handling of Trump-related footage, with officials now reviewing a second instance in which one of his speeches may have been edited in a way that altered its meaning.
The controversy intensified on Monday when the BBC acknowledged that a documentary aired last year had created the impression that Trump had explicitly encouraged “violent action” shortly before the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The disputed clip has sparked a political and editorial crisis within the organisation, prompting the resignation of both the director-general and the BBC’s most senior news executive on Sunday.
Trump’s legal team has since threatened a $1 billion lawsuit.
In a statement released Thursday, the BBC said Chair Samir Shah had “sent a personal letter to the White House making clear to President Trump that he and the corporation are sorry for the edit of the president’s speech.”
Despite the apology, the broadcaster stressed that the error does not constitute grounds for a defamation claim.
BBC lawyers have formally responded to Trump’s legal representatives, the statement added.
With the fallout still unfolding, attention has now shifted to another Trump-related edit.
According to The Telegraph, a June 2022 segment broadcast on the BBC’s “Newsnight” programme spliced together lines spoken at separate moments of Trump’s January 6 address, making it appear as though he had directly urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell.”
The BBC said it is examining the newly surfaced concerns.
“This matter has been brought to our attention, and we are now looking into it,” a spokesperson confirmed.
The editing controversy has erupted at a critical juncture for the BBC.
The corporation is approaching a renegotiation of its Royal Charter, which governs its mandate and structure until its expiration in 2027.
The political sensitivity is heightened by the UK government’s balancing act: Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly defended the BBC’s independence while avoiding a confrontation with the U.S. president.
The broadcaster remains under intense pressure as it works to contain the fallout, reassure staff, and address mounting questions over editorial standards.
AFP
