The chair of the BBC apologized on Monday for what he called an "error of judgment" over the way a speech by US President Donald Trump was edited in a BBC documentary. Jack Taylor/Reuters London —

Donald Trump’s assault on the media went global this week, as he threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion over a documentary that his lawyer claimed made “false, defamatory, malicious, disparaging, and inflammatory” edits to a speech the US president made before the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The threat could tip the BBC into a financial abyss and has deepened the worst crisis for the British public broadcaster in recent history, raising questions about its future in a polarized media and political landscape.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is the scandal about?

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