President Donald Trump said on Friday he expects to file a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the BBC next week.
Trump Threatens $1–$5 Billion Lawsuit
Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on Friday evening, Trump said: “We’ll sue them for anywhere between $1 billion and $5 billion, probably sometime next week.”
“I think I have to do that, I mean, they’ve even admitted that they cheated,” he said.
Trump's legal team previously warned the BBC to retract the Panorama documentary "Trump: A Second Chance?" and issue an apology, saying the edit caused "overwhelming reputational and financial harm."
The broadcaster sent Trump a personal apology Thursday and admitted to an "error of judgment," but maintained the edits do not meet the legal threshold for defamation.
BBC Faces Internal Turmoil
The lawsuit threat comes as the BBC deals with a widening crisis triggered by a leaked memo accusing Panorama journalists of "misleading editing" and raising broader concerns about internal bias, including coverage of transgender issues and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The fallout led to the resignations of Director-General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness, who acknowledged mistakes but defended the newsroom's integrity.
Part Of Trump's Expanding War With The Media
Trump's latest comments add to his growing list of clashes with major news organizations.
His team has challenged reporting from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and ABC News, while his administration previously sought cuts to federal funding for NPR and PBS and revoked credentials for some White House reporters.
Trump said he has not yet spoken with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer but plans to call him, stating Starmer was "very embarrassed" by the incident.
Read Next:
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
