The former US president's official spokesperson has characterized the BBC as "completely fake news" and a "biased media outlet" in a forthright interview. This comes claims of bias at the network.
Senior Administration Figure Condemns BBC Reporting
The White House official, a high-ranking figure in the previous US government, remarked that viewing BBC news reports during visits to the UK "ruins" her day. She claimed that taxpayers are "compelled to foot the bill for a liberal propaganda machine."
Controversy Over Altered Speech
Leavitt's comments came after lawmakers said the corporation had "significant concerns to answer" regarding how a public address by the American leader was edited in a BBC Panorama documentary.
A document leaked to a newspaper indicated that an episode of the current affairs programme "completely misled" audiences by splicing two segments of the speech together.
The broadcast showed the president saying he would walk with his followers to the Capitol prior to the disturbances on January 6th, encouraging 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 continued: "Whenever I travel to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am forced to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it ruins 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 Document Emphasizes Production Problems
The publication said its coverage was based on a memo authored by a ex- consultant to the BBC's content standards committee. The expert left his position recently and has not spoken on the document, believed to have been revealed by a insider.
A passage released read: ""Editing the footage as Panorama broadcast it was utterly deceptive. The absence of a direct call for supporters to march and battle at Capitol Hill partly explained why no federal incitement charges were filed."
Allegations of Systemic Issues
The memo reportedly noted that the ex-consultant had expressed worries about how BBC Arabic reported on the conflict in Gaza.
The newspaper claimed the author asserted there were "systemic problems", which had not been addressed by top executives. He reportedly cited "clear disparities" between the coverage of the hostilities on BBC Arabic and on the main BBC site.
One issue pointed out was the repeated use of analysts who were antisemitic or pro-Hamas.
Censure of Transgender Topics Reporting
The lengthy file is also reported to have faulted the BBC's coverage of transgender issues, stating the broadcaster had been "captured by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of sexual identity issues and that its LGBT desk would "refuse to cover any stories raising difficult questions".
It is said to have alleged that stories posing challenging questions about trans issues were downplayed, with a "constant drip-feed of biased stories promoting the trans experience without adequate fairness or objectivity".
BBC Reply
In response, the BBC said: "While we don’t comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully."
"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."
