The BBC said Tuesday it will defend a $5 billion lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump over an edited clip of his January 6, 2021, speech in a Panorama documentary.

Trump filed the suit in Florida, accusing the broadcaster of defamation and violating trade practices law. He claimed the BBC “intentionally and deceptively” altered his speech. The BBC apologised for the edit last month but rejected Trump’s demands for compensation, saying there was no basis for a defamation claim.

The Panorama programme showed Trump’s speech as: “We're going to walk down to the Capitol… and I'll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell,” which the BBC acknowledged could give the impression of a direct call for violence. Trump’s original speech included the phrases, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women,” and, “And we fight. We fight like hell.”

The lawsuit also cites possible access by Florida viewers through VPNs or streaming service BritBox. The BBC said it did not distribute the documentary in the US.

The case comes after a leaked BBC internal memo criticised the edit, leading to the resignations of director general Tim Davie and head of news Deborah Turness.

The BBC said it will defend the case and declined further comment. British politicians, including Health Minister Stephen Kinnock and opposition leaders, backed the BBC, highlighting the broadcaster’s independence.

Trump has previously filed multiple lawsuits against US media organisations, winning some settlements. Media experts said the BBC may face high litigation costs but must defend its reputation and editorial independence.

With inputs from BBC