In a heated controversy, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has accused the BBC of "purposefully dishonest" reporting on the 2021 US Capitol riots. The criticism centers on a BBC Panorama episode that allegedly edited footage of Donald Trump's speech, splicing remarks made 54 minutes apart to suggest he directly incited supporters to march to the Capitol. The video also misplaced protester footage, showing it after the edited clip despite being filmed earlier. Leavitt branded the BBC as "100 percent fake news" and "blatant propaganda," claiming it spreads lies about Trump and ruins her trips to the UK. She further argued that UK taxpayers fund a "Leftist propaganda machine." In response, a BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster takes feedback seriously and considers diverse views, without commenting on leaked documents. This clash underscores tensions between the Trump administration and global media.
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RT reports: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has accused the BBC of being “purposefully dishonest” over the broadcaster’s depiction of the 2021 US Capitol riots. The channel has faced criticism in recent days over allegations that it misled viewers by splicing together different segments of President Donald Trump’s remarks that day.
In the video, Trump appears to tell supporters: “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell you’re not gonna have a country anymore.”
According to The Telegraph, Trump’s words were altered: The clip splices together remarks made about 54 minutes apart. The protesters, shown marching toward the Capitol immediately after the edited clip, had in fact been caught on film before Trump started addressing supporters.
In remarks to The Telegraph published late Friday, Leavitt criticized the BBC for showing “selectively edited” footage of Trump’s speech in the BBC Panorama episode on the event. “They are total, 100 percent fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom,” Leavitt said.
“Every time I travel to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am forced to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it ruins my day listening to their blatant propaganda and lies about the president of the United States and all that he’s doing to make America better and the world a safer place.”
UK taxpayers are being “forced to foot the bill for a Leftist propaganda machine,” Leavitt added.
In response to the accusation, a spokesperson for the BBC told The Guardian that the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee considers differing views and opinions of its coverage. “While we don’t comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully,” the spokesperson claimed.