Trump threatens $1B lawsuit against BBC over 'false' and 'defamatory' January 6 documentary

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is seeking to hold the BBC responsible for "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements."

Trump and his litigation counsel sent a scathing notice of intent to bring a civil action lawsuit on Sunday, November 9, to BBC Chair Samir Shah, along with General Counsel Sarah Jones.

He is giving the British broadcaster a Friday deadline to make things right or reportedly face a $1 billion lawsuit. 

The BBC has been engulfed in criticism over a 'Panorama' documentary about Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech that he delivered before the attack on the US Capitol. 

Trump’s legal team says documentary was ‘fabricated' 

BBC Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News and Current Affairs Chief Deborah Turness both stepped down in recent days amid the growing controversy.  

The letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, demanded that "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements" made about Trump must be retracted immediately.

Trump’s legal team said  the statements in the documentary were "fabricated and aired by the BBC," giving the president no choice but to take legal action. 

"Failure to comply will leave President Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available," the letter stated.

"To recover damages for the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that the BBC has caused him to suffer, with all rights and remedies being expressly reserved by President Trump," the letter continued. 

"In the 'Panorama' documentary, titled 'Trump: A Second Chance', which was first broadcast on October 28, 2024, a week before the 2024 United States presidential election, the BBC intentionally sought to completely mislead its viewers by splicing together three separate parts of President Trump’s speech to supporters," the letter claimed.

The letter continued, "The documentary showed President Trump telling supporters: 'We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol, and I’ll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.'"

According to the letter, Trump actually said, "We’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down."

"We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women," it stated.

The letter, penned by Trump attorney Alejandro Brito, also explained that the BBC edited out Trump saying, "I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard."

Letter warns BBC of defamation under Florida law

Brito wrote on behalf of Trump, "Due to their salacious nature, the fabricated statements that were aired by the BBC have been widely disseminated throughout various digital mediums, which have reached tens of millions of people worldwide."

"Consequently, the BBC has caused President Trump to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm," he stated.

Trump’s legal team feels "the BBC’s reckless disregard for the truth underscores the actual malice behind the decision to publish the wrongful content, given the plain falsity of the statements."

The president demands "a full and fair retraction of the documentary and any and all other false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading, and inflammatory statements about President Trump in as conspicuous a manner as they were originally published." 

Also in the letter, Trump’s legal team instructed the BBC not to destroy any documents or data that would be relevant in a potential lawsuit. 

"If the BBC does not comply with the above by November 14, 2025, at 5.00 pm EST, President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights," the letter stated.

"All of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 (One Billion Dollars) in damages. The BBC is on notice," it concluded.