BBC CEO Resign Over Trump Speech Controversy

The director-general of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Tim Davie, and its head of news, Deborah Turness, resigned on Sunday following criticism for editing a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump. Davie will remain in his post for a few months while a replacement is found.

The controversy arose after the BBC’s Panorama program edited two parts of Trump’s January 6, 2021, speech together, making it appear he encouraged the Capitol Hill riots. The White House denounced the broadcaster as a “propaganda machine.” Pressure intensified after a leaked internal report cited failures in the BBC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, transgender issues, and Trump’s speech.

Trump welcomed the resignations, posting on Truth Social to thank the Daily Telegraph for exposing what he called “corrupt journalists,” and described Davie and Turness as “very dishonest people.”

Davie, who has led the BBC since 2020, defended the organisation’s global reputation for journalism but admitted “mistakes had been made.” Turness, in an email to staff, rejected claims of institutional bias, calling the allegations “wrong.”