President Trump filed a lawsuit against the BBC on Monday, seeking at least $5 billion in damages, alleging defamation over a documentary aired shortly before the 2024 election that edited a speech he gave on January 6, 2021.
This marks the third media-related lawsuit Trump has pursued while in office. In September, he sued the New York Times for $15 billion, refiling the case in October after the original complaint was dismissed for excessive length. He also sued the Wall Street Journal in July over reporting regarding his alleged contribution to Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday book.
The BBC documentary controversy led to the resignation of two top executives after an internal memo, leaked by The Telegraph, criticized the edit and raised questions about impartiality. Following White House condemnation, Trump’s legal team threatened a $1 billion defamation suit unless the broadcaster issued a retraction, apology, and compensation. The BBC apologized but did not agree to pay damages.
Trump has increased his legal actions against media organizations over the past decade. Last year, he sued the Des Moines Register, ABC, and CBS, with the latter two settling for multimillion-dollar amounts. U.S. defamation law sets a high bar for public figures, and the BBC is expected to argue the edit was not made with “actual malice” and that the documentary did not damage Trump’s reputation, especially since it never aired in the United States.
Observers will be watching to see if this lawsuit prompts Trump to pursue legal action against other foreign media outlets in addition to U.S.-based companies. The BBC has not immediately responded to requests for comment.