The BBC has issued an apology to former US President Donald Trump following controversy over the editing of his speech related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. This apology comes just hours before a deadline set by Trump, who threatened to file a billion-dollar lawsuit against the broadcaster if they did not retract what he termed ‘false’ and ‘defamatory’ statements.

The issue arose from a segment aired in a recent Panorama episode, which included a spliced clip of Trump’s speech. The editing made it appear as though he was directly urging his supporters to attack the Capitol. The BBC described the editing as an "error of judgement" and confirmed that the programme would not be shown again in its current form on any of its platforms.

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson noted that the corporation's chairman, Samir Shah, had sent a personal letter to the White House expressing regret over the editing. The spokesperson added, "While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim."

Trump's legal team had given the BBC a deadline of Friday to respond to their demands. The former President stated he felt an "obligation" to pursue legal action after the controversial broadcast. The edited clip suggested that Trump had told the crowd, "We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you, and we fight. We fight like hell," although these words were spoken nearly an hour apart in the original speech.

The backlash from the edited segment has led to significant repercussions within the BBC, including the resignation of high-profile figures such as director-general Tim Davie and news chief Deborah Turness. Political analyst Robert Spritzer commented on the situation, noting that the statute of limitations for such a lawsuit in the UK has passed, indicating that any legal action would likely be pursued in an American court.

Spritzer further explained that litigation has been a longstanding strategy for Trump, stating, "He utilised it in thousands of cases while he was a businessman and before he entered politics. The point is not necessarily to win lawsuits; it is about generating publicity that he views as favourable to himself."

In addition to Trump's legal threats, Melania Trump’s lawyers have also indicated plans to sue author Michael Wolff for a similar amount, highlighting the ongoing legal challenges surrounding the Trump family.