BBC Branded as "Totally Fake News" by Donald Trump's Spokesperson

Donald Trump's official spokesperson has characterized the BBC as "completely fake news" and a "biased media outlet" in a blunt interview. These remarks follow allegations of partiality at the broadcaster.

Senior Administration Figure Criticizes BBC Reporting

Karoline Leavitt, a senior representative in the previous US government, remarked that watching BBC bulletins during visits to the UK "ruins" her day. She asserted that taxpayers are "forced to foot the bill for a leftist propaganda machine."

Controversy Over Altered Address

Leavitt's comments came after lawmakers said the broadcaster had "serious questions to answer" regarding how a speech by the US president was edited in a BBC Panorama program.

A document leaked to a publication indicated that an installment of the news programme "completely misled" audiences by splicing two segments of the speech together.

The programme showed the president saying he would walk with his followers to the Capitol ahead of the disturbances on January 6th, urging them to "fight like hell". Nevertheless, it omitted a portion of the talk where he advised the assembly "to express views calmly and loyally".

“This intentionally deceptive, carefully cut footage from the BBC further proves they are entirely, 100% fake news, unworthy of airtime on the screens of the UK's admirable citizens.”

Leavitt continued: "Every time I travel 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 Document Highlights Production Issues

The publication reported its coverage was based on a note written by a former consultant to the BBC's content standards board. The adviser left his role recently and has not spoken on the file, understood to have been revealed by a insider.

A passage published read: "It was completely misleading to edit the clip in the way Panorama aired it. The fact that he did not explicitly exhort supporters to go down and fight at Capitol Hill was one of the reasons there were no federal charges for incitement to riot."

Allegations of Systemic Problems

The report allegedly added that the ex-consultant had expressed worries about how BBC Arabic reported on the conflict in Gaza.

The newspaper claimed the author alleged there were "institutional issues", which had not been addressed by senior management. He reportedly cited "stark differences" between the reporting of the war on BBC Arabic and on the main BBC site.

One matter pointed out was the repeated use of analysts who were prejudiced against Jewish people or supportive of the militant group.

Criticism of Trans Issues Coverage

The 19-page file is also reported to have faulted the BBC's coverage of gender identity matters, stating the broadcaster had been "influenced by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of gender identity issues and that its LGBT unit would "decline to cover any stories raising difficult questions".

It is said to have alleged that stories raising complex questions about transgender matters were downplayed, with a "constant drip-feed of one-sided stories promoting the trans experience without adequate balance or objectivity".

BBC Response

In answer, the BBC said: "Although we refrain from discussing disclosed papers, the BBC treats all input earnestly and reviews it thoroughly."

"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."

Shawn Carter
Shawn Carter

Maya Chen is a passionate gaming journalist with over a decade of experience covering esports and indie game developments.