Trump Slaps BBC With $10 Billion Lawsuit Over Edited January 6 Speech; Raises Jimmy Lai Case With Xi on Humanitarian Grounds
Key Points:
Donald Trump announced a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC.
He accused the broadcaster of using AI to misrepresent his remarks related to the January 6 Capitol attack.
Trump said he personally urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to release jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
On December 16, 2025, US President Donald Trump stated that he plans to file a lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). Trump accused the BBC of using artificial intelligence to make it appear as though he made comments that he never did.
He also revealed that he had requested President Xi Jinping to consider the release of former Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who was convicted in a national security trial on 15 December, 2025.
He spoke to reporters at the White House after honouring US service members at a ceremony, during which he accused the BBC of putting “terrible words” in his mouth.
He described the situation as a serious breach of journalistic standards by the British broadcaster, telling reporters, “They actually put terrible words in my mouth.”
He further added, “They had me saying things that I never said.”
The president said the alleged misrepresentation was related to remarks about the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. “They actually have me speaking words that I never said,” Trump said, adding that what he described as his “beautiful words talking about patriotism” were omitted.
He claimed the issue had become so evident that it was acknowledged internally. “I believe somebody at the BBC said this is so bad, it has to be reported,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments come amid growing debate in the United States and Europe over the role of artificial intelligence in news production, including concerns about manipulated audio, video, and text being presented as authentic reporting.
He explained that legal action against the BBC was imminent, alleging that the broadcaster used AI to alter his comments and fabricate “fake news.” He said he has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. “We’ll be filing that suit probably this afternoon or tomorrow morning,” he said, calling the episode “fake news.”
Trump Urges the Release of Businessman Jimmy Lai
During the press meet, Trump also told reporters that he had personally raised the case of jailed Hong Kong media owner Jimmy Lai with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He urged Xi to release Lai on humanitarian grounds. Sharing his concerns with President Xi, he said, “He’s an older man and not well.”
See Also: Trump Economic Approval Hits All-Time Low as White House Official Insists ‘Nothing Bad Is Happening’
Lai is the founder of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper. He was convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law, a decision that was heavily criticized by various press freedom groups and Western governments.
When asked if China would respond, Trump said, “We’ll see what happens.” He did not say whether the issue has affected broader US–China relations, which remain tense over trade, technology, Taiwan, and human rights.
Lai was arrested in August 2020 under the security law that was implemented after the anti-government protests in 2019. He was found guilty of colluding with foreign forces to threaten national security and of plotting to distribute seditious material.
Inputs from IANS
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