BBC Faces Backlash After Editing Out Trump Remark
So here’s what’s been happening around the BBC lately, and it’s stirred up quite a bit of debate. Historian and author Rutger Bregman, who is delivering this year’s prestigious Reith Lectures on BBC Radio 4, has publicly expressed his frustration after a key line from his speech was removed before broadcast. He said he was “genuinely dismayed” to find that a remark he made about Donald Trump—one delivered live weeks earlier in front of hundreds of people—had been cut without his consent.
According to Bregman, the line appeared during a section in which he discussed US politics. Although he hasn’t repeated the edited sentence himself for legal reasons, he did share that the BBC told him the decision came “from the highest levels.” For him, it wasn’t just about disagreement or editorial preference; it felt like an example of “self-censorship driven by fear,” especially in the context of Trump’s recent threat to sue the BBC for as much as $5 billion. That lawsuit threat came after an edited Panorama episode gave what the BBC admitted was a “mistaken impression” about Trump’s comments on 6 January 2021. That incident already prompted two senior resignations—BBC director general Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness—so tensions inside the corporation are obviously running high.
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In Bregman’s view, there’s something especially ironic about the situation because his lecture series, titled Moral Revolution , is supposed to explore what he calls the “paralysing cowardice” of today’s elites. The line that stayed in referred to Trump as a “modern-day Caligula,” someone surrounded “with loyalists, grifters and sycophants.” But the sentence that immediately followed—one he felt was central to his point—was removed upon legal advice. The BBC confirmed this, saying all programmes must meet their editorial guidelines.
Meanwhile, criticism has come in from outside as well. Politicians, commentators, and listeners have questioned whether the BBC is bending to pressure. Some argued that at a time when defending democratic norms and free expression feels increasingly important, the broadcaster should be willing to stand firm. Bregman himself said he hoped that speaking openly about what happened could contribute to a stronger, more transparent democratic culture rather than weaken it.
Despite the controversy, he continues to praise the Reith Lectures team and emphasises how meaningful the opportunity is, especially given the legacy of past lecturers like Stephen Hawking and Bertrand Russell. Three more lectures from his series are still set to be released, airing both in the UK and internationally. But this moment—one line removed, and a wider debate sparked—has already ensured that this year’s Reith Lectures will be remembered for far more than their content alone.
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