US President Donald Trump says he feels an “obligation” to sue a British broadcaster for altering part of his 6 January 2021 speech in a Panorama documentary. He told Fox News the edit had “butchered” his words and “deceived” the public. This is his first public statement since his lawyers warned the organisation they would seek $1 billion in damages unless it retracts the film, apologises, and offers compensation.
Trump claims viewers were misled
In an interview on The Ingraham Angle, Trump said he would move forward with legal action. “Well, I guess I have to,” he said. “They deceived the public, and they admitted it.” He described his address as “a beautiful, calming speech” and accused editors of twisting its meaning. “They actually changed it,” he added. “What they did was unbelievable.”
Asked again about his plans, Trump said, “I think I have an obligation to do it. You can’t let people do that.” The interview was filmed on Monday, though Fox News only released the section about the British broadcaster on Tuesday night.
Lawyers demand full retraction
Trump’s legal team sent a letter to the organisation on Sunday. It demanded a full retraction, a formal apology, and compensation for the alleged damage. The letter gave a deadline of 22:00 GMT on Friday for a response. The broadcaster said it would reply soon, while its news division declined to comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
Ongoing battles with the media
Trump has a long record of disputes with major media outlets. Since returning to the White House, he has issued several legal threats over what he calls unfair coverage. He settled with CBS News and ABC News after large payouts and has also pursued action against The New York Times.
The disputed edit in Panorama
The controversy centres on a Panorama documentary aired just before the US presidential election in November 2024. It initially went unnoticed until The Daily Telegraph published a leaked memo last week. The memo, written by a former adviser to the broadcaster’s editorial standards committee, warned that the edit could make it appear as if Trump had encouraged the Capitol riot.
In his original speech, Trump said: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women.” In the edited version, producers spliced together two parts of the speech spoken more than 50 minutes apart. The final version showed him saying: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol… and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”
Top executives resign after backlash
The fallout led to the resignation of the organisation’s director general, Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness. Both defended their work and rejected claims of political bias. Speaking to staff, Davie admitted “mistakes were made” but urged the newsroom to “stand firm.” He said, “This narrative will not just be defined by our critics—it’s ours to tell.”
Davie added that despite the crisis, the organisation “continues to do good journalism that speaks louder than any political attack.” Neither he nor the chair mentioned Trump’s legal threat during the internal meeting.
Government keeps distance
Downing Street called the dispute “a matter for the broadcaster.” A spokesperson for the prime minister said, “It’s not for the government to comment on ongoing legal matters.”
Charter renewal adds political pressure
The controversy comes as the organisation prepares for renewal of its royal charter, which expires at the end of 2027. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy will oversee negotiations. In Parliament, she said the renewal process would “modernise its mission” and ensure “genuine accountability.”
Nandy said, “There’s a difference between raising valid concerns about editorial standards and attacking the institution itself. This broadcaster is more than a media company—it’s a national institution that belongs to everyone.”
Parliament investigates the incident
The culture select committee plans to question senior figures, including chair Samir Shah and board members Sir Robbie Gibb and Caroline Thomson. Michael Prescott, the former standards adviser who wrote the leaked memo, will also be called to give evidence.
Reform UK withdraws from documentary project
Separately, an internal Reform UK email revealed the party is ending cooperation with a documentary about its rise. The message said the production team had been granted “unprecedented access” to senior members but must now withdraw permission for any footage to be used, citing the ongoing Trump dispute.
