BBC admits to misleading coverage in Trump Cheney controversy

The BBC has formally acknowledged misleading viewers regarding claims that Donald Trump called for his political adversary Liz Cheney to be shot. The corporation revealed in an internal memorandum that reports broadcast in the days leading up to last year’s US presidential election were inaccurate, yet no public correction followed.

The disputed coverage alleged Mr Trump appeared to incite violence against Ms Cheney, a vocal Republican critic and daughter of former US vice president Dick Cheney. BBC presenters stated that Mr Trump suggested Ms Cheney should face a firing squad or directly encouraged supporters to shoot her. However, these assertions did not accurately reflect Mr Trump’s original remarks. In reality, he accused Ms Cheney of being a radical war hawk, questioning her willingness to support military action while remaining in Washington. In his comments, he said, Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her face, asking listeners to consider her perspective on war from such a position.

An internal evaluation led by Peter Johnston, director of the editorial complaints unit, concluded that errors occurred specifically in the BBC’s handling of this issue. The evaluation, requested by the BBC board, followed complaints of editorial bias and was triggered by a detailed dossier compiled by independent adviser Michael Prescott. While the report was initially intended for internal consideration, parliamentary interest led to its public release.

The review also addressed editorial choices in the Panorama documentary, which edited a Trump speech in a manner some perceived as skewing the narrative. BBC executives maintained that the programme balanced its coverage with contributions from Trump supporters and asserted that it aimed to analyse Mr Trump’s popular appeal, not to undermine him outright. The handling of these editorial decisions drew divided opinions among senior leadership, including the chairman, the director general, and the chief executive of BBC News.

Both the director general, Tim Davie, and the chief executive of BBC News, Deborah Turness, tendered their resignations following the internal scrutiny and public pressure. Mr Davie had previously been encouraged to remain by the board, but factors including the controversy contributed to his decision to step down. The BBC has indicated that a more comprehensive analysis of these incidents will be published for the benefit of public accountability.

This admission comes amid renewed focus on impartiality and editorial standards at the national broadcaster. The BBC faces continuing oversight from both the government and the public regarding its approach to news presentation and its responsibility to avoid misrepresentation or bias in politically sensitive coverage.