Nigel Farage revealed that Donald Trump was extremely upset following the emergence of a leaked memo suggesting that a BBC program had manipulated footage of one of his speeches. Farage, who leads Reform UK and advocates for abolishing the BBC, disclosed that he had a conversation with President Trump on Friday, emphasizing that Trump’s reaction went beyond mere anger.
The Clacton MP, known for his support of Trump, stated that the US leader viewed the allegations as a tipping point. Trump likened the BBC’s actions to Russia’s interference in elections, expressing disbelief at the broadcaster’s behavior. Farage recounted his discussion with Trump on LBC radio, highlighting the President’s strong feelings towards the BBC.
Trump’s speech, which was edited by the BBC, created a misleading impression that he was inciting the Capitol Hill riots in January 2021. Despite the White House condemning the BBC for spreading “fake news” and being a “propaganda machine,” the broadcaster denied institutional bias. Following the controversy, BBC director general Tim Davie and News chief executive Deborah Turness resigned from their positions.
In response to Mr. Davie’s resignation, President Trump celebrated the turn of events, thanking The Telegraph for exposing what he referred to as corrupt journalism at the BBC. However, Turness defended the BBC, asserting that the organization is not institutionally biased and that she took responsibility for the situation. She emphasized BBC News’ reputation as a trusted news source worldwide.