BBC apologizes to Trump: threatens to sue for billions!

BBC apologizes to Trump: threatens to sue for billions!

Things are currently heated in the political arena between the BBC and US President Donald Trump. The British broadcaster apologized on November 13, 2025 after Trump threatened a billion-dollar lawsuit. The background to this dispute is the controversial program “Panorama”, which broadcast parts of Trump’s speech on January 6, 2021. These words were presented through edited excerpts to create the impression that he was inciting violent actions. This presentation not only led to a considerable shitstorm, but also to resignations at the station, especially of Tim Davie, the station boss, and Deborah Turness, the journalist responsible for news Northern Courier reported.

The BBC, however, has no plans to compensate Trump, but feels obliged to apologize to avoid further legal disputes. Trump's legal team gave the BBC until Friday evening to withdraw the broadcast, issue an apology and pay compensation. The amount demanded is at least one billion US dollars, which corresponds to over 860 million euros. The BBC has so far seen no basis for Trump's allegations and has announced that it will wait and see whether a lawsuit will actually be filed in the matter.

The disruption caused by the shutdown

Elsewhere, Trump is grappling with political and economic challenges behind the scenes. On Wednesday evening, he signed legislation ending a 43-day government shutdown, bringing major relief to many federal workers. The shutdown had led to financial strain and long queues at airports and food banks. Commenting on the situation, Trump made it clear that the government should never shut down again, which he called "no way to run a country." The new law secures funding through January 30, 2026 and repeals the layoffs of federal employees that occurred during the shutdown. The Ministry of Agriculture also continues to support the food aid programs AP News.

With the recent law, the government has solved some of the most pressing problems, but it remains to be seen whether the planned vote on health care in December will be successful. This uncertainty creates further pressure and does not allow us to dismiss the possibility of a new shutdown in January. The upcoming decision-making process will of course also be flanked by the Republicans, who are planning to extend health care subsidies - but whether this will succeed is anyone's guess.

A look at Trump's past

It is safe to say that Donald Trump, who was born in June 1946, has a checkered history. Not only was he the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021, but he also became a prominent face of American politics, finding both supporters and opponents thanks to his direct, often polarizing manner. Trump, a member of the Republican Party, managed to defeat Hillary Clinton and win the presidency in 2016, catapulting him into international headlines. His first term was marked by controversies, such as agreeing to ban travel for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries and initiating a trade war with China. He was also impeached twice, but escaped without conviction both times Wikipedia is to be read.

After his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, he attempted to challenge the election results - an action that culminated in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Many remember that this was far from the end of his controversies. After a turbulent 2023, Trump was found responsible for civil cases involving sexual abuse and business fraud and recorded a historic conviction for business irregularities, making him the first US president to serve a criminal sentence.

It will be interesting to see how the current situation between Trump and the BBC evolves as the president simultaneously grapples with a variety of domestic policy challenges. The only thing that is clear is that there is always explosive material in Donald Trump's world - be it in politics or in the media.