23 Comments
User's avatar
Paul Brodowski's avatar

It's time to call Trump's bluff with measured, reasonable argument. As you say, he clearly said these things although the Panorama edit is clumsy, sloppy work.

Jeffrey Epstein wrote (email) about Trump as having "not one decent cell in his body" a thunderous statement for so many reasons.

Expand full comment
Maggie's avatar

My sentiments exactly.

My words when I first heard the Manbaby saying he was going to sue the BBC for a billion dollars was well

“he can fuck right off” A few other obscenities may have past my lips too but am I bothered?

Expand full comment
Mari's avatar

Well said Maggie!

Expand full comment
Murray Willows's avatar

Congrats to the Bear. Got it in one

I suggest the BBC fight this in court. Drag out the case until the US midterms. Parade in court all the 6th Jan insurgents. Read out every word of the Congressional investigations. Have evidence from the Capitol police. In other words, through the court process show that Trump did in fact knowingly support the insurrection and remind America of the monster they have unleashed.

Expand full comment
Murray Willows's avatar

And BTW, I think Trumplethinskin is brilliant and if you are ok will shamelessly steal it!!

Expand full comment
Richard Bedingfield's avatar

Yes, an obvious opportunity to put Trump on trial by way of BBC defence in whatever USA state Trump decides to use. It is hard to believe any Court would agree to hear the case. I took love Trumplethinskin!

Expand full comment
Jeni's avatar

It's not worth giving this ridiculous lawsuit the dignity of a reply. Besides which, based on his past behaviour, Trump is likely to hit the UK with tariffs if they fight him. The courts will put it exactly where it belongs - in the black plastic file.

Expand full comment
Mike Lowres's avatar

The BBC should tell Trump "we'll see you in court" and use the same lawyers that prosecuted the Jan 6th rioters, get the Capitol police in court and subpoena Trump to attend and under oath take the stand.

On a more personal note Trump can go fuck himself.

Expand full comment
Nicholas Giles Patrick Willson's avatar

LOVE IT, Bear!

(I think that Might just count as an Official ‘Rant’!)

Expand full comment
Kevin Reed's avatar

Somebody went through his entire speech on that day and out of it all there was just one line where he said " to march peacefully to the Capitol ". The rest of it was the election was stolen and they had to fight to right the wrong that had been done to them.

Did he say those words? - yes

Did he say them in that order? - yes

Should there have been more context or something to show they were at different parts of the speech? - yes

How this man can claim this is a slur on his character is beyond me. As for suing for how ever many billion $ for hurt feelings the BBC will, I hope, tell him, in very polite legalise to fuck off.

Expand full comment
Elaine Maisey's avatar

He's such a fragile little turd. I'm more than happy to discuss the problem with him in 2 words, that's about all his tiny little brain cell can understand, and that would be to Fuff off.

Expand full comment
Monnina's avatar

This is orchestrated political kabuki. The global money behind MAGA and Reform are parachuting Trump into the British intellectual cultural arena. Just see it for what it is, a mass media PR stunt for the authoritarian alt right. FFS let no one forget what Trump actually is. Why should anyone give him or his followers anything but a Do Not Pass Go kick up their collective arses.

Expand full comment
Andrea Jennings's avatar

I for one felt proud of the Beeb for saying sorry for the error but no we won’t be coughing up for the “hurty” edit. Would be nice if Keir Starmer was to placate him with offer of the kind of investigation that was going to happen anyway…

Expand full comment
Cristina Carmona Aliaga's avatar

I was gobsmacked when I read Trump was planning to sue the BBC and thought "Can he really?" so this post has been a crash-course in defamation 101 for me.

Having said that, I shouldn't have been shocked because of course that's what he'd do to undermine any adversary, whether real or perceived.

On this note, I'd like to recommend everyone to watch The Apprentice, the film released last year with a phenomenal Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn and Sebastian Stan as a young Trump. It got a very limited theatrical release for a number of reasons (Trump threatening to shut it down being one of them) but I believe it's now on Netflix. The acting is brilliant and the events the film talks about (the ascend of Trump to power and how his 'attack and destroy' modus operandi was modeled after Roy Cohn) explain a lot of what we are seeing today.

Expand full comment
Andrea Jennings's avatar

Oh thanks for the recommendation. I will definitely give it a watch. 🙂

Expand full comment
Cristina Carmona Aliaga's avatar

Jeremy Strong is really terrifying (and terrific) in this. Hope you enjoy it!

Expand full comment
Tim Dumble's avatar

The British public will see him in court- we won’t tolerate attacks on our national institutions by a foreign power.

Expand full comment
Kane Clements's avatar

Whilst Trump’s legal team would try to narrow the arguments to the edited clip the ? I have to ask is in the wider sense how can one defame somebody who on the death of his father tried to deny his siblings their inheritance. Assaulted his first wife. Has a history of sexual misconduct, bankrupting businesses, failing to pay contractors, general sleazy behaviour in relation to beauty pageant contestants.

Has been convicted on 34 felony counts. Is suspected of repeatedly raping girls below the age of consent. Associated for years with convicted sex offenders.

And so it goes on.

His reputation is buried at the bottom of Satan’s cesspit already.

The BBC must tell him to go do one.

Expand full comment
Andrea Jennings's avatar

I hope this goes into the BBC drama on Beeb v Trump. “Of all the presidents lies”.

Expand full comment
Tim Morris's avatar

I think that, even for many British viewers, the Panorama broadcast in question is one that they either didn't see, or have no recollection of it anyway. As far as controversy around the 2020 election results go, people are far more likely to remember the phone call recording of Trump pushing a governor to "find a few thousand votes".

It is an aggressive effort to chill journalists, both domestic and foreign, in the States. It's a step up from Trump's usual approach to journalists he dislikes, which involves dismissing their questions and throwing childish insults at them, a practice he has employed frequently. It's also a practice his Press Secretary employs. All in, this administration is making a concerted effort to disrupt journalistic efforts to hold it to account.

There's also an irony in Trump's claims that the program substantially affected the outcome of an American election. BBC might well take some pride in the possibility that their work is taken so seriously that it can sway a foreign electorate months after the results have been finalised. However, the controversial use of Twitter and Facebook, amongst other media sources, has affected election results around the globe.

The UK has not been immune to this, with Brexit and some Westminster elections having been called into question. The increased visibility of Reform and its associated influencers of a right-wing persuasion is reported by virtually everyone who dares to venture into the Twitter cesspit. Sky News has broadcast the results of an investigation into this issue, which suggests that it demonstrates the active manipulation of Twitter's algorithms to promote this type of content.

This is without taking into account Elon Musk's comments about British politics and social affairs, the possibility of his financially supporting Reform, or his variable support for right-wing politicians and influencers. An American citizen (albeit an immigrant), with a significant reach and the resources to distort understanding, has actively engaged in activity that could be seen as electoral interference with far greater credibility than Trump can allege the BBC could achieve.

Of course, the usual subjects this side of the Pond are jumping on this to attack the BBC. As you say, Iratus, the BBC is far from perfect. It has given Reform numerous opportunities to promote its message. There is a stark contrast between interview approaches to politicians on either side of the political spectrum, with those to the centre and left facing more aggressive questioning. Curiously, the Right complains so much about the BBC when it is treated far more leniently than its opponents.

As you say, there is so much about this latest development that is incredibly disturbing. That said, the ramifications of any conciliatory act by the BBC could be far worse. Can you imagine how Farage and his minions will respond?

Expand full comment
Steve Anderson's avatar

Trumplethinskin 😂 properly spat out my coffee, bravo!

Expand full comment
Mark Tomblin's avatar

Superb. Your para about 'men in bright trousers' particularly fine. And the 'Epstein Memorial Ballroom' was the chef's kiss. Thank you.

Expand full comment
SueGenevanana's avatar

Yesterday, I listened to The Two Matts podcast episode from Thursday. (For anyone who doesn’t know of them, they’re journalists of The New World). They broadcast that in the Michael Prescott report which was the fodder for The Telegraph article at the root of this rumpus, he also had done some jiggery-pokery of Trump’s speech himself. It’s worth a listen and spreading further afield. FYI Bear - if he files his case in the US there’s a 2 year limit in Florida!

Expand full comment