Donald Trump‘s team has publicly criticized the BBC amid an ongoing legal battle over a documentary produced by the broadcaster.

A representative for Trump alleged that the network “distorted” the president’s speech and used it in the documentary with malicious intent.

Trump is seeking $10 billion in damages in the defamation lawsuit and has refused to provide financial records requested by BBC lawyers. The broadcaster argues that the information is necessary to evaluate the reputational and financial harm Trump claims to have suffered as a result of the documentary.

Donald Trump Team Says BBC Must Be Held Accountable

In a statement to the Financial Times, a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team explained why the president is refusing to back down from his ongoing defamation lawsuit against the BBC following the release of its Panorama documentary, which aired in October 2024.

The spokesperson alleged that the BBC is liable for “intentionally and maliciously” defaming Trump by distorting and manipulating his speech. They also criticized the broadcaster’s legal strategy, accusing it of trying to avoid accountability in the case. “No amount of attempted legal maneuvers can change that fact,” said the representative. “President Trump will continue to hold accountable the BBC and all those who traffic in fake news.”

The BBC Apologized But Denied Defamation

The BBC’s Panorama documentary gave an inside look at Trump’s criminal cases, ongoing legal battles, and the events surrounding the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Trump’s speech that afternoon was also featured in the documentary, but he has since claimed in his lawsuit that the footage was edited in a misleading way to make it appear as though he was inciting immediate violence in the aftermath of his election loss.

Following intense scrutiny, the BBC issued an apology to Trump over the Panorama documentary, acknowledging that the edit in question was an “error of judgment.”

However, the broadcaster rejected Trump’s demand for compensation and denied his claim that the documentary defamed him.

Donald Trump Demands $10 Billion From BBC

On December 15, Trump filed a lawsuit against the broadcaster, alleging that its actions also violated a Florida trade practices law.

He is seeking a staggering $10 billion in damages, claiming the documentary caused significant reputational and financial harm. Trump further argued that the program diminished the value of his “brand, properties, and business interests.”

Following the filing, a BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster would “defend” the case rather than reach an agreement.

Since then, the BBC has sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that the documentary was never broadcast in the United States and therefore falls outside the jurisdiction of the Florida court where Trump filed his suit.

Trump Refuses BBC’s Request For Records

Ahead of the trial, which is scheduled for February 2027, the BBC requested that Trump provide financial documents to help determine whether he suffered the reputational and financial losses alleged in his lawsuit.

As part of that effort, the broadcaster served a subpoena on the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, which is currently the legal holder of many of the president’s business interests and assets.

If complied with, the request would grant the BBC access to information on nearly 400 entities owned by or associated with the trust, including tax records and key details about its holdings and value.

Trump, however, has remained firmly opposed to turning over the requested information despite the subpoena.

Donald Trump Calls BBC A ‘Fake Outfit’

Trump has not shied away from taking verbal shots at the BBC as the legal back-and-forth between him and the broadcaster continues.

Last month, he criticized the outlet during a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One. The remarks came after Trump took a question from a reporter who identified himself as a BBC correspondent, prompting the president to launch into a tirade against the broadcaster.

“You mean the ones that put AI in my mouth,” Trump said, per the Daily Mail. “The ones that had me saying a statement that they now admit was not true. The ones that put terrible words in my mouth and then had to admit that it was fake. The ones that don’t know what to do. You’re with BBC? They’re another fake outfit.”