🔗 Share this article BBC Branded as "100% Fake News" by the Former President's Spokesperson Donald Trump's press secretary has characterized the BBC as "completely fake news" and a "biased media outlet" in a blunt interview. This comes claims of bias at the network. Senior Administration Figure Criticizes BBC Reporting The White House official, a senior figure in the Trump administration, stated that watching BBC news reports during visits to the UK "ruins" her day. She claimed that the public are "forced to foot the bill for a leftist propaganda machine." Controversy Over Edited Address The spokesperson's statements came after lawmakers said the broadcaster had "serious questions to answer" regarding how a public address by the American leader was modified in a BBC Panorama program. A document leaked to a publication suggested that an installment of the news programme "completely misled" viewers by combining two segments of the oration together. The broadcast showed the president saying he would march with his supporters to the Capitol prior to the riots on January 6th, urging them to "struggle intensely". However, it omitted a section of the speech where he urged the assembly "to express views calmly and loyally". “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 added: "Whenever I travel to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am obliged to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it ruins my day listening to their blatant 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." Leaked Document Emphasizes Editing Issues The newspaper said its reporting was based on a memo written by a ex- adviser to the BBC's content standards committee. The adviser departed his role earlier this year and has not spoken on the file, understood to have been revealed by a insider. An extract published 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." Claims of Systemic Issues The memo reportedly noted that the former adviser had expressed worries about how BBC Arabic reported on the conflict in Gaza. The newspaper said the author alleged there were "institutional issues", which had not been resolved by top executives. He supposedly cited "stark differences" between the reporting 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 supportive of the militant group. Censure of Trans Topics Reporting The 19-page file is also said to have faulted the BBC's handling of gender identity matters, stating the network had been "influenced by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of sexual identity issues and that its LGBT unit would "refuse to cover any stories raising difficult questions". It is reported to have alleged that stories posing challenging questions about trans issues were suppressed, with a "steady stream of one-sided stories celebrating the trans experience without adequate fairness or objectivity". The Broadcaster Reply In answer, the BBC stated: "Although we refrain from discussing disclosed papers, the BBC treats all input earnestly and reviews it thoroughly." "Michael Prescott 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."