Trump Sets Sights on BBC in Urgent Lawsuit Over Alleged False Reporting of Jan. 6 Remarks

President Donald Trump announced Monday he plans to file a lawsuit against Britain’s BBC over what he described as misleading and damaging reports about his statements leading up to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The president said the lawsuit could be filed as soon as Monday or Tuesday, underscoring an urgent effort to hold a major foreign broadcaster accountable for false reporting.

According to remarks carried by Reuters, Trump maintained that he repeatedly urged supporters to act peacefully and lawfully ahead of January 6, citing transcripts and videos of his calls for protests to be “peaceful and patriotic.” He stated these statements are routinely ignored in media coverage.

The president indicated the BBC exposed itself to legal liability by advancing claims he asserts are untrue. The network had not publicly responded to Trump’s comments or confirmed receipt of any formal legal notice as of Monday.

Trump has long accused major media outlets, both domestic and foreign, of promoting narratives hostile to his presidency while minimizing information supporting his version of events. Supporters argue that coverage of January 6 has become a political weapon used to discredit him and his voters rather than examine security failures at the Capitol.

Legal analysts note that defamation claims by public figures face high legal thresholds in U.S. courts, though Trump has argued such standards were established in a different media era and require reconsideration. The potential lawsuit could involve complex jurisdictional issues given the BBC’s UK headquarters and where the allegedly false statements were published.