Karoline Leavitt has characterized the broadcaster as a “Leftist propaganda machine,” citing its editing of a speech by President Trump.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has accused the BBC of being “purposefully dishonest” regarding the broadcaster’s depiction of the 2021 US Capitol riots. The network has faced recent criticism over allegations that it misled viewers by combining different segments of President Donald Trump’s remarks from that day.
In the video, Trump is seen telling supporters: “We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol and I’ll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell you’re not gonna have a country anymore.” According to The Telegraph, Trump’s statements were altered: the clip merges remarks spoken approximately 54 minutes apart. The protesters, depicted marching toward the Capitol immediately after the edited clip, were in fact filmed before Trump began addressing his supporters.
In comments to The Telegraph published late Friday, Leavitt criticized the BBC for presenting “selectively edited” footage of Trump’s speech in the BBC Panorama episode on the event. “They are total, 100 percent fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom,” Leavitt declared.
“Every time I travel to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am compelled to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, my day is ruined by listening to their unabashed propaganda and falsehoods concerning the president of the United States and all his efforts to improve America and make the world a safer place.”
UK taxpayers are being “forced to finance a Leftist propaganda machine,” Leavitt added.
Responding to the accusation, a spokesperson for the BBC told The Guardian that the BBC’s editorial guidelines and standards committee considers diverse views and opinions regarding its coverage. “While we do not comment on leaked documents, the BBC takes feedback seriously and reviews it carefully when received,” the spokesperson affirmed.