British Broadcasting Corporation Branded as "100% Fake News" by Donald Trump's Spokesperson

Donald Trump's official spokesperson has described the BBC as "100% fake news" and a "biased media outlet" in a blunt discussion. This comes claims of bias at the broadcaster.

White House Official Criticizes BBC Coverage

Karoline Leavitt, a high-ranking figure in the previous US government, stated that viewing BBC bulletins during visits to the UK "ruins" her day. She asserted that taxpayers are "compelled to foot the bill for a liberal propaganda machine."

Dispute Over Edited Speech

The spokesperson's comments came after lawmakers said the broadcaster had "significant concerns to answer" regarding how a speech by the American leader was edited in a BBC Panorama documentary.

A document disclosed to a publication indicated that an episode of the current affairs programme "completely misled" audiences by combining two segments of the speech together.

The programme showed the leader saying he would march with his followers to the Capitol ahead of the disturbances on January 6th, urging them to "struggle intensely". Nevertheless, it excluded a section of the speech where he urged the assembly "to express views calmly and loyally".

“This purposefully dishonest, selectively edited clip by the BBC is further evidence that they are total, 100% fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom.”

The press secretary added: "Every time I journey to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am obliged to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it ruins my day listening to their overt 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."

Leaked Memo Highlights Production Issues

The newspaper said its reporting was based on a note written by a former consultant to the BBC's editorial guidelines board. The expert left his position recently and has not commented on the document, believed to have been leaked by a insider.

A passage released read: ""Editing the footage as Panorama broadcast it was utterly deceptive. The absence of a direct call for supporters to march and battle at Capitol Hill partly explained why no federal incitement charges were filed."

Claims of Systemic Issues

The memo allegedly noted that the ex-consultant had expressed concerns about how BBC Arabic covered the conflict in Gaza.

The newspaper said the adviser asserted there were "institutional issues", which had not been resolved by top executives. He supposedly cited "clear disparities" between the reporting of the hostilities on BBC Arabic and on the primary BBC website.

One matter pointed out was the repeated use of analysts who were antisemitic or pro-Hamas.

Censure of Transgender Issues Coverage

The lengthy file is also reported to have criticised the BBC's handling of transgender issues, saying the network had been "captured by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of sexual identity issues and that its LGBT desk would "decline to cover any stories raising difficult questions".

It is reported to have claimed that stories posing challenging questions about transgender matters were suppressed, with a "constant drip-feed of one-sided stories promoting the trans experience without adequate fairness or impartiality".

The Broadcaster Reply

In response, the BBC said: "While we don’t comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully."

"Michael Prescott is a former adviser to a board committee where differing views and opinions of our coverage are routinely discussed and debated.|The ex-consultant previously advised a panel where varied perspectives on our reporting are regularly examined and contested."

Robyn Gutierrez
Robyn Gutierrez

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