President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on the BBC, calling the British broadcaster “corrupt” and “fraudulent” during a heated Oval Office press interaction. The tirade comes as the BBC seeks to dismiss Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit related to a Panorama documentary.
Trump accused the network of presenting “so inaccurate” and “unbelievable” coverage of the U.S. conflict with Iran. “We have decimated that country,” he said, “and if you watch BBC, it’s almost like they’re fighting us to a draw. It was very inaccurate news. It was fake news. But it’s beyond fake. It’s really criminal what they do.”
The controversy traces back to a 2024 Panorama episode, which suggested Trump had incited supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol in 2021 after losing the election to Joe Biden. Allegations later emerged that the documentary was selectively edited. In response, BBC Director-General Tim Davie resigned, and BBC chairman Samir Shah issued an apology, admitting the edits created “the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
While hosting Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump reiterated that the footage had been manipulated, claiming AI technology was used to fabricate clips. “They put words in my mouth that I never said. Some of my people even said, ‘Wow, that’s pretty bad stuff.’ I said, ‘What did I say?’ It turns out it was AI-generated,” Trump said.
He concluded by highlighting his track record, claiming he was a popular president who won all seven swing states and received record numbers of votes, implying that such manipulations were politically motivated.
Trump’s lawsuit remains pending as the BBC continues to seek its dismissal. The case raises questions about AI’s role in media reporting and the fine line between editorial judgment and defamation.
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