British Broadcasting Corporation Labeled as "100% Fake News" by the Former President's Spokesperson

Donald Trump's press secretary has characterized the BBC as "100% fake news" and a "propaganda machine" in a blunt interview. These remarks follow allegations of partiality at the network.

White House Official Condemns BBC Reporting

Karoline Leavitt, a high-ranking figure in the Trump administration, stated that viewing BBC bulletins during trips to the UK "spoils" her day. She asserted that the public are "forced to foot the bill for a liberal propaganda machine."

Controversy Over Edited Address

Leavitt's statements came after lawmakers said the corporation had "serious questions to answer" regarding how a public address by the US president was modified in a BBC Panorama documentary.

A document leaked to a newspaper suggested that an episode of the current affairs programme "thoroughly deceived" audiences by splicing two segments of the speech together.

The broadcast showed the leader saying he would walk with his supporters to the Capitol prior to the riots on 6 January 2021, urging them to "struggle intensely". However, it omitted a section of the talk where he urged the assembly "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard".

“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 added: "Every time I journey to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am obliged to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it mars 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."

Disclosed Memo Highlights Production Issues

The newspaper reported its coverage was based on a note authored by a ex- adviser to the BBC's editorial guidelines committee. The adviser left his position recently and has not commented on the document, believed to have been leaked by a insider.

A passage released stated: "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 Issues

The report allegedly noted that the former adviser had raised worries about how BBC Arabic reported on the conflict in Gaza.

The outlet claimed the author asserted there were "systemic problems", which had not been resolved by top executives. He reportedly cited "stark differences" between the coverage of the war on BBC Arabic and on the main BBC site.

One matter highlighted was the frequent use of analysts who were antisemitic or supportive of the militant group.

Criticism of Transgender Topics Reporting

The lengthy dossier is also said to have criticised the BBC's coverage of gender identity matters, saying the network 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 claimed that stories posing challenging questions about trans issues were suppressed, with a "constant drip-feed of biased stories promoting the trans experience without adequate fairness or impartiality".

BBC Response

In answer, the BBC said: "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.|He previously advised a panel where varied perspectives on our reporting are regularly examined and contested."