KEY POINTS
- Donald Trump Jr accused UK media of deceptive Jan 6 reporting, comparing it to 'fake news' in the US.
- Trump Jr, who was present at the rally, is pushinghis own media app to counter "bias".
Donald Trump Jr has accused British media of deceptive journalism, singling out what he described as 'dishonest' reporting after a whistleblower claimed a flagship BBC programme edited footage of his father's January 6 speech in a misleading way.
The president's eldest son took to X to slam UK outlets following revelations published by The Telegraph, which cited a whistleblower alleging that the BBC's Panorama programme spliced together several parts of Donald Trump's 2021 rally speech and omitted his call for supporters to protest 'peacefully'.
'The FAKE NEWS "reporters" in the UK are just as dishonest and full of s---t as the ones here in America!!!!' Trump Jr wrote. 'They lied about my father and they lie about everything else. Disgraceful.'
While the whistleblower allegations focused specifically on the BBC, Trump Jr's tirade broadened the attack to British journalism as a whole, suggesting that large segments of the UK press are politically biased against his father.
Trump Jr was with Donald Trump as he addressed supporters on the White House Ellipse on January 6, shortly before crowds moved toward the US Capitol and lawmakers were forced to shelter. The day resulted in five deaths, hundreds of arrests and an extensive federal investigation.
Whistleblower Memo Sparks Row
The uproar began after a Panorama whistleblower alleged that a 2020 episode aired one week before the US election, 'completely misled' viewers by selectively editing Trump's language to imply he encouraged aggressive action against Congress.
According to the memo, the programme stitched together three separate lines from Trump's speech to form the phrase: 'We're gonna walk down to the Capitol and I'll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell,' while excluding his call for demonstrators to march 'peacefully and patriotically'.
The whistleblower also claimed Panorama included footage of flag-waving crowds heading toward the Capitol that was filmed before Trump began speaking, creating the impression that supporters immediately mobilised in response to his remarks.
Wider Battle Over Media Credibility
Although the BBC has not yet issued a formal response, Trump allies were quick to lean on the memo as evidence of systemic media bias.
Trump Jr reiterated that both American and British media institutions have acted as political opponents to his father, calling them untrustworthy arbiters of democratic debate.
Donald Trump previously secured a $16 million settlement from CBS News after accusing the network of deceptively editing an interview with Kamala Harris in 2024.
Trump Jr, who has fashioned himself as a media critic, launched his news aggregation app MxM in 2022, promoting it as an antidote to what he termed "propaganda masquerading as journalism".
'We built MxM because people are tired of propaganda disguised as journalism,' he said at the time.
As the 2026 US elections draw closer, Trump's family appears poised to continue its strategy of directly confronting major media outlets on both sides of the Atlantic as part of a broader effort to shape public opinion and energise supporters sceptical of establishment institutions.
Political Impact
Video from the day shows Trump Jr backstage at the rally with then-girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, celebrating with campaign figures as the crowd gathered.
Critics argue the BBC story plays into Trump's narrative of media persecution, which continues to resonate with his supporters. 'If you ever wonder why distrust in the press is so pervasive, look no further,' Trump Jr added.
The BBC has historically defended Panorama's reporting, describing it as rigorous and impartial. Whether the broadcaster will directly respond to the new claims remains to be seen. For now, the memo has provided fresh ammunition in the Trumps' ongoing media war.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
