U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly confirmed his intent to sue the BBC for $1 billion, accusing the broadcaster of “defrauding the public” by editing his January 6, 2021, speech in a way that allegedly misrepresented his intent.

The remarks, made during a Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham, mark Trump’s first direct comments since his legal team issued a formal demand for retraction, apology, and damages.

Trump described the BBC’s edit in the Panorama documentary Trump: A Second Chance as a “butchering” of his “beautiful, very calming” speech. He claimed the omission of phrases like “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard” falsely portrayed his words as incitement to violence. “They actually changed my January 6 speech... What they did was rather incredible,” he said.

The controversy centers on the documentary’s juxtaposition of Trump’s phrases “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol” and “we fight like hell,” which aired just a week before the 2024 U.S. election. A leaked memo from former BBC adviser Michael Prescott criticized the edit as misleading, sparking internal turmoil that led to the resignations of Director-General Tim Davie and Head of News Deborah Turness.

BBC Chair Samir Shah has since apologized for an “error of judgment,” acknowledging the edit “gave the impression of a direct call for violent action,” though he defended the documentary’s broader intent.

Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, filed the demand under Florida’s defamation statute, citing “actual malice” and referencing the 2022 Johnston v. Borders case. The letter demands:

• A full and conspicuous retraction
• A public apology
• Compensation for “overwhelming harm”

Failure to comply by Friday’s 10 p.m. GMT deadline could trigger a defamation suit, with a preservation notice issued for all related evidence.

The BBC, currently under scrutiny ahead of its 2027 charter renewal, has promised a response “in due course.” Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy defended the broadcaster’s institutional integrity in Parliament, while Davie reportedly told staff, “We’ve made mistakes that cost us, but we need to fight – our work speaks louder than any narrative.”

The dispute adds to Trump’s history of legal battles with major media outlets and raises fresh questions about journalistic ethics, political influence, and the boundaries of editorial discretion.