BBC Labeled as "Totally Fake News" by the Former President's Press Secretary

Donald Trump's official spokesperson has characterized the BBC as "100% fake news" and a "biased media outlet" in a forthright discussion. These remarks follow allegations of partiality at the network.

Senior Administration Figure Criticizes BBC Reporting

The White House official, a senior figure in the Trump administration, stated that watching BBC news reports during visits to the UK "ruins" her day. She asserted that taxpayers are "forced to foot the bill for a leftist propaganda machine."

Dispute Over Altered Address

The spokesperson's statements came after lawmakers said the broadcaster had "significant concerns to answer" regarding how a public address by the US president was modified in a BBC Panorama program.

A document disclosed to a newspaper suggested that an episode of the news programme "thoroughly deceived" audiences by combining two segments of the oration together.

The programme showed the president saying he would march with his supporters to the Capitol ahead of the riots on January 6th, encouraging them to "struggle intensely". However, it omitted a section of the speech where he urged the crowd "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.”

Leavitt continued: "Every time I journey 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 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 Emphasizes Editing Problems

The newspaper said its reporting was based on a note authored by a former consultant to the BBC's editorial guidelines committee. The expert left his role recently and has not commented on the file, understood to have been revealed by a insider.

A passage published stated: ""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 Widespread Problems

The memo allegedly added that the former adviser had raised worries about how BBC Arabic reported on the war in Gaza.

The newspaper claimed the adviser asserted there were "institutional issues", which had not been resolved by senior management. He supposedly cited "clear disparities" between the reporting of the war on BBC Arabic and on the main BBC website.

One issue highlighted was the repeated use of commentators who were prejudiced against Jewish people or pro-Hamas.

Censure of Trans Topics Reporting

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

It is said to have alleged that stories posing challenging questions about transgender matters were downplayed, with a "constant drip-feed of biased stories promoting the trans experience without adequate fairness or impartiality".

The Broadcaster Reply

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

"The former adviser 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."

Aaron Roberts
Aaron Roberts

A seasoned journalist and political analyst based in London, focusing on UK-European relations and social policy trends.