Nigel Farage revealed that Donald Trump was furious following a leaked memo suggesting that a BBC program had manipulated footage of one of his speeches. As the leader of Reform UK, Farage, who advocates for abolishing the BBC, mentioned that he spoke with the US President on Friday and described Trump’s reaction as beyond anger.
Farage, a supporter of Trump, stated that the President considered the allegations as the “last straw,” likening the BBC’s actions to Russia’s interference in elections. In an interview with LBC radio, Farage recounted Trump’s intense reaction, emphasizing the President’s disbelief and outrage at the BBC’s actions.
Trump’s speech edit by the BBC, where he appeared to incite the Capitol Hill riots in January 2021, drew criticism and accusations of bias against the broadcaster. The Telegraph disclosed details showing that the BBC spliced together two separate parts of Trump’s speech to create a misleading narrative.
The controversial edit, which combined segments from different parts of Trump’s speech, prompted backlash from the White House, labeling the BBC as purveyor of “fake news” and a “propaganda machine.” Trump celebrated the resignations of BBC director general Tim Davie and News chief executive Deborah Turness, attributing their departures to the exposure of the doctored speech.
Despite the resignations, Turness defended the BBC, asserting that the organization is not institutionally biased or corrupt. She clarified that her decision to step down was to take responsibility, emphasizing BBC News’ commitment to unbiased reporting as a trusted news source globally.