Apology Sparks Major Controversy
The national broadcaster apologises to US President Donald Trump after Panorama producers stitched together sections of his 6 January 2021 speech. The edit falsely suggested Trump directly encouraged violent action. The 2024 programme will no longer air.
Trump’s lawyers threaten a $1bn lawsuit and demand a retraction, an apology, and compensation. The scandal leads to the resignations of Director General Tim Davie and News Chief Deborah Turness on Sunday. The broadcaster seeks comment from the White House.
Second Misleading Clip Comes to Light
The apology follows hours after the Daily Telegraph exposes another edited clip from a 2022 Newsnight broadcast.
In its “Corrections and Clarifications” section, the broadcaster says it reviewed the Panorama programme after criticism. Trump’s lawyers had set a Friday 22:00 GMT deadline for a response.
“We accept our edit unintentionally created the impression of a continuous section of the speech,” the statement says. Executives acknowledge the cut made it appear Trump directly called for violence.
A spokesperson confirms the broadcaster’s lawyers responded to Trump’s legal team. Chair Samir Shah also sent a personal letter to the White House expressing regret. The spokesperson adds: “We regret the edit, but we reject any basis for a defamation claim.”
Trump’s Words in Full Context
Trump told supporters: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.”
Over 50 minutes later he said: “And we fight. We fight like hell.”
The Panorama segment merges these lines into a single sequence. Trump tells Fox News his speech was “butchered” and claims viewers were “defrauded.”
His lawyers demand a “full and fair retraction” and compensation. The broadcaster lists five reasons it denies wrongdoing.
Broadcaster Defends Its Actions
First, the Panorama episode never aired in the US and was restricted to UK viewers.
Second, Trump suffered no harm because he was re-elected shortly afterwards.
Third, the edit aimed to shorten a long speech and carried no malicious intent.
Fourth, the clip lasted twelve seconds within a one-hour programme that included supportive voices.
Fifth, political speech enjoys strong protection under US defamation law.
An insider says executives remain confident in their defence. The Culture Department declines to comment. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urges the prime minister to call Trump to stop the lawsuit threat and defend the broadcaster’s independence.
Newsnight Also Comes Under Fire
A new allegation emerges on Thursday. A 2022 Newsnight episode appears to misrepresent Trump’s 6 January speech in a similar way.
The edit shows Trump saying: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… And we fight. We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
A voiceover then links his words to footage from the Capitol riots.
Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says the clip “spliced together” separate parts of the speech. He notes the fighting line appeared much later.
A spokesperson says the broadcaster maintains “the highest editorial standards” and is reviewing the issue. Trump’s legal team claims the organisation shows “a pattern of defamation.”
The controversy intensifies after the Telegraph publishes a leaked memo from a former external adviser. The document also criticises reporting on trans issues and the Arabic service’s coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
