🔗 Share this article BBC Labeled as "Totally False Information" by the Former President's Press Secretary Donald Trump's press secretary has described the BBC as "100% fake news" and a "propaganda machine" in a blunt discussion. These remarks follow allegations of bias at the network. White House Official Criticizes BBC Coverage The White House official, a senior representative in the previous US government, remarked that viewing BBC bulletins during trips to the UK "ruins" her day. She claimed that taxpayers are "forced to foot the bill for a liberal propaganda machine." Dispute Over Edited Speech Leavitt's statements emerged after lawmakers said the broadcaster had "significant concerns to answer" regarding how a public address by the US president was modified in a BBC Panorama documentary. A document leaked to a publication suggested that an installment of the current affairs programme "thoroughly deceived" viewers by splicing two parts of the speech together. The programme showed the president saying he would walk with his supporters to the Capitol ahead of the disturbances on 6 January 2021, encouraging them to "fight like hell". Nevertheless, it excluded a portion of the speech where he advised the assembly "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard". “This purposefully dishonest, selectively edited clip by the BBC is further evidence that they are total, 100% fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom.” Leavitt added: "Whenever I travel to the United Kingdom with President Trump and am forced to watch the BBC in our hotel rooms, it mars 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 newspaper reported its coverage was based on a memo authored by a former consultant to the BBC's editorial guidelines board. The expert departed his role recently and has not spoken on the file, understood to have been revealed by a whistleblower. A passage released stated: ""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 Widespread Problems The memo allegedly noted that the former adviser had expressed concerns about how BBC Arabic covered the conflict in Gaza. The newspaper said the adviser alleged there were "systemic problems", which had not been addressed by top executives. He supposedly cited "clear disparities" between the coverage of the hostilities on BBC Arabic and on the primary BBC site. One issue highlighted was the frequent use of commentators who were antisemitic or supportive of the militant group. Criticism of Transgender Topics Reporting The lengthy file is also reported to have faulted the BBC's coverage of gender identity matters, stating the network had been "captured by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of sexual identity issues and that its LGBT desk would "decline to cover any stories raising difficult questions". It is reported to have claimed that stories posing complex questions about trans issues were downplayed, with a "constant drip-feed of one-sided stories promoting the trans experience without adequate fairness or objectivity". The Broadcaster Response In response, the BBC said: "While we don’t comment on leaked documents, when the BBC receives feedback it takes it seriously and considers it carefully." "The former adviser is a former adviser to a board committee where differing views and opinions of our coverage are routinely discussed and debated.|The ex-consultant previously advised a panel where varied perspectives on our reporting are regularly examined and contested."