Nigel Farage revealed that Donald Trump was extremely angry following the release of a memo suggesting that a BBC program had manipulated footage of one of his speeches. Farage, the leader of Reform UK who advocates for the BBC’s abolition, described his conversation with Trump as one where the US President expressed intense frustration. Farage, a strong supporter of Trump, mentioned that Trump viewed the allegations as a tipping point, comparing the BBC’s actions to election interference similar to Russia’s activities. Trump, in his conversation with Farage, expressed disbelief and anger towards the BBC, considering it a betrayal by a state broadcaster that he perceived as an ally.
Farage relayed Trump’s sentiments, stating that Trump was livid about the situation, feeling that the BBC had crossed a line. He pointed out the irony of criticizing Russia for election meddling while accusing the BBC of attempting to influence a presidential election shortly before the vote. Farage highlighted the significance of maintaining the alliance with the US, emphasizing Trump’s crucial role in the defense of the UK.
Following the controversy, BBC’s director general Tim Davie and News chief executive Deborah Turness resigned. The resignations came after accusations that a Panorama documentary had edited Trump’s speech before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, leading to widespread criticism. The Telegraph published details indicating that the BBC edited segments of Trump’s speech together to imply his support for the riots, resulting in bias allegations against the broadcaster. Despite Turness emphasizing the BBC’s commitment to impartiality and integrity, Trump celebrated the resignations, attributing them to the exposure of the BBC’s alleged manipulation of his speech.
The incident sparked condemnation from the White House, denouncing the BBC as purveyors of fake news and propaganda. The juxtaposition of two parts of Trump’s speech, recorded more than 50 minutes apart, was a focal point of the controversy. While Trump lauded the exposure of the BBC’s actions, Turness defended the corporation’s integrity, asserting that BBC News remains a trusted news source globally.