Apology Triggers Political Storm
The national broadcaster apologises to US President Donald Trump after Panorama editors merged parts of his 6 January 2021 speech. The cut wrongly suggested Trump directly urged violent action. The 2024 episode will not be shown again.
Trump’s lawyers threaten a $1bn lawsuit and demand a retraction, an apology, and compensation. The scandal forces Director General Tim Davie and News Chief Deborah Turness to resign on Sunday. The broadcaster contacts the White House for comment.
New Edited Clip Surfaces
The apology follows hours after the Daily Telegraph reveals a second edited clip from a 2022 Newsnight episode.
In its “Corrections and Clarifications” section, the broadcaster says it reviewed the Panorama programme after criticism. Trump’s legal team set a reply deadline of Friday 22:00 GMT.
“We accept our edit unintentionally created the impression of a single continuous section,” the statement says. Executives admit the cut made it seem Trump directly called for violence.
A spokesperson says lawyers for the organisation responded to Trump’s team. Chair Samir Shah also sent a personal letter to the White House. He expressed regret over the edit. The spokesperson adds: “We regret the edit, but we dispute any basis for a defamation claim.”
Trump’s Remarks in 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 edit merges both lines. Trump tells Fox News his speech was “butchered” and claims the broadcast “defrauded” viewers.
His lawyers demand a “full and fair retraction” and compensation. The broadcaster lists five reasons it denies wrongdoing.
Broadcaster Defends Its Position
First, the Panorama episode never aired in the US and was restricted to UK viewers.
Second, Trump suffered no harm because he won re-election shortly afterwards.
Third, the edit aimed to shorten a long speech and carried no malice.
Fourth, the cut lasted only twelve seconds in a one-hour programme that included pro-Trump voices.
Fifth, political speech receives strong protection under US defamation law.
An insider says the organisation stands firmly behind its defence. The Culture Department declines to comment. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urges the prime minister to call Trump. He wants him to stop the lawsuit threat and defend the broadcaster’s independence.
Newsnight Faces Repeat Accusation
A fresh claim emerges on Thursday. A 2022 Newsnight episode also appears to misrepresent Trump’s 6 January speech.
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 of the Capitol riots.
Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says the clip “spliced together” separate parts of Trump’s comments. He says the fighting line appeared much later.
A spokesperson says the broadcaster follows the “highest editorial standards” and is reviewing the matter. Trump’s legal team claims the organisation shows “a pattern of defamation.”
The wider controversy escalates after the Telegraph publishes a leaked memo from a former external adviser. The document also criticises coverage of trans issues and the Arabic service’s reporting on the Israel-Gaza war.
