Apology Sparks Intense Backlash
The national broadcaster apologises to US President Donald Trump after Panorama producers stitched together sections of his 6 January 2021 speech. The edit falsely implied 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 contacts the White House for comment.
Second Questionable Edit Comes to Light
The apology comes hours after the Daily Telegraph exposes another edited clip from a 2022 Newsnight episode.
In its “Corrections and Clarifications” section, the broadcaster says it reviewed the Panorama programme following 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 admit the cut made it appear Trump issued a direct call to violence.
A spokesperson confirms the broadcaster’s lawyers have 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.”
What Trump Actually Said
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 as one 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 Details Its Defence
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 soon afterwards.
Third, the edit aimed to shorten a lengthy speech and carried no malicious intent.
Fourth, the clip lasted only twelve seconds within a one-hour programme that included pro-Trump 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 Faces Similar Allegations
A new accusation 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 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 matter. Trump’s legal team claims the organisation shows “a pattern of defamation.”
The 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.
