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The former US president's press secretary has characterized the BBC as "100% fake news" and a "propaganda machine" in a blunt discussion. These remarks follow claims of partiality at the broadcaster.

White House Official Condemns BBC Coverage

Karoline Leavitt, a high-ranking representative in the Trump administration, remarked that viewing BBC bulletins during trips to the UK "ruins" her day. She asserted that taxpayers are "forced to foot the bill for a liberal propaganda machine."

Dispute Over Altered Address

The spokesperson's statements emerged after MPs said the broadcaster had "serious questions to answer" regarding how a public address by the American leader was edited in a BBC Panorama documentary.

A document leaked to a publication indicated that an episode of the current affairs programme "completely misled" audiences by combining two parts of the speech together.

The programme showed the president saying he would walk with his supporters to the Capitol ahead of the riots on 6 January 2021, encouraging them to "struggle intensely". However, it omitted a section of the speech where he advised 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.”

The press secretary 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 Editing Problems

The publication said its coverage was based on a memo authored by a ex- adviser to the BBC's content standards board. The adviser departed his position earlier this year and has not spoken on the file, believed to have been leaked by a insider.

A passage published stated: "It was completely misleading to edit the clip in the way Panorama aired it. The fact that he did not explicitly exhort supporters to go down and fight at Capitol Hill was one of the reasons there were no federal charges for incitement to riot."

Claims of Widespread Problems

The report reportedly added that the ex-consultant had expressed worries about how BBC Arabic reported on the conflict in Gaza.

The newspaper claimed the adviser asserted there were "institutional issues", which had not been resolved 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 frequent use of commentators who were antisemitic or supportive of the militant group.

Censure of Trans Topics Reporting

The lengthy file is also reported to have faulted the BBC's handling of transgender issues, saying the network had been "influenced by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of gender identity issues and that its LGBT desk would "decline to cover any stories raising difficult questions".

It is said to have claimed that stories posing challenging questions about trans issues were downplayed, with a "steady stream of one-sided stories celebrating the trans experience without adequate fairness or impartiality".

The Broadcaster Response

In response, the BBC said: "Although we refrain from discussing disclosed papers, the BBC treats all input earnestly and reviews it thoroughly."

"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."