BBC Says It Has Had No Contact From Trump’s Lawyers Since $5 Billion Lawsuit Threat

The BBC says it has not received any communication from former U.S. President Donald Trump’s legal team after he announced plans to sue the broadcaster over a controversial edit in a Jan. 6 documentary.

The dispute stems from a BBC Panorama documentary that critics say misleadingly edited Trump’s 2021 speech by removing his call for supporters to protest “peacefully” and stitching remarks made nearly an hour apart into what appeared to be a continuous statement.

Although the BBC issued an apology and confirmed it would not rebroadcast the documentary, it insisted the error did not amount to defamation.

A spokesperson for the broadcaster said on Monday that no further communication had come from Trump’s lawyers since his public threat to file a lawsuit seeking between $1 billion and $5 billion in damages.

Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One last week, vowed that legal action would begin “sometime next week.” His legal team, when asked for comment, pointed back to the former president’s remarks, suggesting litigation is still being prepared.

The controversy has already triggered the resignations of BBC News CEO Deborah Turness and Director-General Tim Davie.

Trump’s legal counsel had previously sent a notice of intent to sue the BBC, demanding retractions, apologies, and compensation over what it described as “false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements.”

While the BBC expressed regret for the way the clip was edited, it maintains there is “no basis for a defamation claim.”