US President Donald Trump said he had an “obligation” to sue the BBC over a misleading edit of a speech he gave, but stopped short of announcing legal action in a Fox News interview aired on Tuesday.

Trump’s lawyers threatened the British broadcaster with a billion-dollar lawsuit on Monday, according to a letter seen by AFP, as the BBC apologized for giving the impression the president had urged “violent action” ahead of the 2021 assault on the US Capitol.

In the Fox News interview, which was recorded on Monday, Trump was asked if he planned to sue the BBC.

“I guess I have to, why not?” said the president in his first public comments on the potential for legal action.

“I think I have an obligation to do it because you can’t allow people to do that,” Trump said, without confirming whether he had officially begun proceedings to file a defamation lawsuit.

“They defrauded the public and they’ve admitted it.”

Britain “is supposedly one of our great allies,” and “the government has a chunk of that one,” Trump added, referring to the BBC.

President Trump speaks out on his $1billion BBC takedown

“They DEFRAUDED the public! And they’ve admitted it! No way to treat an ally”

The BBC have until 10pm on Friday to apologise and offer a settlement figure or face Trump in a Florida court

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— Ben Leo (@benleo444)

© The Times of Israel