President Donald Trump has launched a major legal battle against the BBC, filing a federal lawsuit that seeks up to $10 billion over allegations the U.K. public broadcaster misrepresented a part of his speech delivered prior to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. His attorneys argue the segment deceptively stitched his remarks together to make it appear he encouraged violence. The BBC has previously apologized for the way the footage was cut, calling it an “error of judgment” but rejecting claims it defamed the president. Legal experts have said the suit appears futile, as the statute of limitations has already expired in the U.K. and the program on which the segment aired, Panorama, does not broadcast in the U.S. The controversy has led to the resignations of senior executives at the corporation and prompted fierce debate in both the U.K. and U.S. over editorial standards and press freedom. The case adds to a widening series of high-profile legal offensives Trump has launched against major media organizations both before and after returning to the presidency, including suing The Wall Street Journal over its reporting on his relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and a successful action against ABC News after one of the network’s anchors mischaracterized the ruling against Trump in a sexual assault case.
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