Trump vs BBC: Will the British public stand with the broadcaster?

Read time: 5 mins

In brief…

• The BBC faces its biggest crisis yet, with Donald Trump suing it for $10bn, in a court case which could spell the end for the UK’s public broadcaster, should it lose.
• Polling shows that public trust in the BBC is low, but The News Agents believe the UK public would rather back a British institution over an “American bully”.
• US broadcasters sued by Trump have settled out of court, and while it has said it will fight the president’s legal case – which The News Agents say is right – they believe the BBC may be tempted to follow suit.

What’s the story?

Once upon a time there were TV adverts warning the people of the UK that there were surveillance vans patrolling the street, checking to see which houses had a TV aerial, and which did not, trying to catch people who didn’t pay the TV licence.

Those days are long gone, and with it, for many people, is the trust in the BBC. Funded by licence-fee payers, its commitment to impartiality in its news coverage is struggling in a political landscape marred by polarisation and disinformation.

Now, the BBC perhaps faces its biggest challenge yet.

Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion (£3.7bn) lawsuit against the broadcaster, over the editing of a clip broadcast in November 2024, which cut together words from a speech made on January 6 2021, ahead of the Capitol riot, in which MAGA supporters invaded the Capitol building in Washington.

If this goes to court and Trump wins, Emily Maitlis says this would be the "end of the BBC."

Trump has falsely claimed that he never used the words spoken in the Panorama episode, and accused the BBC of using AI to fabricate the clip.

“They have me speaking with words that I never said,” Trump says.

He previously threatened the BBC with a $1 billion lawsuit, but has increased that figure in new legal documents filed.

He's not new to suing broadcasters he doesn't like. Trump previously settled out of court after suing US broadcasters ABC and CBS, and many believe the BBC's only option here will be to do likewise.

The question now, with the full force of the MAGA legal machine bearing down on the UK's public broadcaster, is whether the public will stand up for the BBC, or side with America's biggest political "bully".

What's happened to public trust in the BBC?

Recent polling from More In Common shows that 53% of people in the UK trust the BBC. Of those polled, 42% believe it is biased – but that number is split between thinking it leans to the left (27%) or the right (15%).

It also reveals that trust is lower among poorer households where the licence fee is a more pressing concern on a family budget.

"Having worked my whole career at the BBC, I've always had it in my head that everyone hates the BBC until such times as it's under attack and it's facing an existential crisis," says Jon Sopel.

"Then, everybody rallies around and says they don't like the corporation, but love the programmes."

Will licence-fee payers stand by its side under this Trump-made "crisis"?

“Defund the BBC" is a common cry from its critics, angry at its licence fee model, and often the content they see, and disagree with, on its channels.

Emily says she still believes people would rather have a broadcaster they see as flawed, but inherently British and one trying to serve the public, survive, than let it be destroyed by a US president with an axe to grind.

"Do people get cross with the BBC? They do. Do people all have their own sense individually of what the BBC is getting wrong all the time? They do," Emily says.

"But do they really want it brought down by a rich foreign billionaire who doesn't need the money, who doesn't need the fame, whose reputation clearly didn't stand or fall on what happened in a Panorama that might or might not have been shown in Florida.

"Do they really want to see the end of an institution in his hands? I don't think so."

Jon is less certain, and believes the damage from the Panorama edit, and the Trump response to it, may have already been done.

"I know from my time in the BBC how much effort goes into trying to achieve fairness and impartiality, and they do strive really hard to do it," he says.

"But irrespective of what happens in the court case, this has done BBC grievous damage.

“I would love to think people will rally around the BBC, but I'm sceptical. I think that there is a growing sense that the BBC has lost its way."

He describes its current position as "sad", adding that coming up against Trump in this way is "absolutely hideous".

Will Keir Starmer step up to bat for the Beeb?

One of the few people with a direct line to Trump is Keir Starmer, who has courted Trump since his second inauguration, hoping to improve relations with the US under the president's strict trade tariffs.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has stuck the boot in to the BBC, referring to the Panorama edit as "fake news", but will our Prime Minister step up to defend this British institution? The News Agents are doubtful.

"Given how much effort Keir Starmer has put into his relationship with Trump, you'd think he won't, because he's trying to cultivate soft power," Emily says.

"Trump's done the state visit, the visit to Windsor Castle with the king. He's done the trade deal.

"Would we respect Starmer as a prime minister if he didn't stand up for the national broadcaster against the American bully?"

But having given Trump his all-important second state visit, and agreed some trade measures, both Emily and Jon believe Starmer has no cards left to play.

"Starmer has got no leverage," says Jon.

"It's unlikely that Keir Starmer, when he is beset by so many other problems, is going to go and fight to the death on behalf of the BBC."

So what happens next, and what's The News Agents' take?

The BBC has said it will fight Trump's proceedings, and Jon says this is the right course of action.

"The BBC will have to have so much backbone to do this, because there'll be many times along this difficult road where the easiest option will be to settle," he says.

"I think the BBC's decision is precarious, but I think it is the right thing to do."

Emily, however, believes it will already be looking for alternatives to a highly expensive, deeply damaging court case which could expose internal communications about Trump, and do more damage to its 103-year history.

"I think it won't come to court," Emily says.

"I think any off-ramp will be too attractive, rather than having to go through the pain."

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents.