🔗 Share this article BBC Labeled as "Totally Fake News" by the Former President's Press Secretary The former US president's press secretary has characterized the BBC as "completely fake news" and a "biased media outlet" in a blunt interview. This comes allegations of bias at the broadcaster. Senior Administration Figure Condemns BBC Reporting The White House official, a high-ranking figure in the Trump administration, stated that viewing BBC news reports during visits to the UK "ruins" her day. She claimed 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 "significant concerns to answer" regarding how a speech by the US president was modified in a BBC Panorama documentary. A report leaked to a publication indicated that an installment of the news programme "thoroughly deceived" audiences by splicing two segments of the oration together. The programme showed the leader saying he would march with his supporters to the Capitol ahead of the riots on January 6th, urging them to "struggle intensely". However, it omitted a portion of the talk where he advised the assembly "to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard". “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 forced 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 Memo Emphasizes Production Problems The newspaper reported its coverage was based on a note written by a former consultant to the BBC's content standards board. The adviser left his position recently and has not spoken on the document, believed to have been revealed by a insider. A passage released 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 Problems The report allegedly added that the former adviser had expressed concerns about how BBC Arabic covered the war in Gaza. The outlet said the author alleged there were "systemic problems", which had not been addressed by top executives. He supposedly cited "stark differences" between the reporting of the hostilities on BBC Arabic and on the primary BBC website. One issue highlighted was the repeated use of commentators who were antisemitic or pro-Hamas. Criticism of Transgender Issues Reporting The lengthy file is also said to have criticised the BBC's handling of transgender issues, saying the network had been "captured by a small group of [staff] promoting the Stonewall view" of gender identity issues and that its LGBT unit would "refuse to cover any stories raising difficult questions". It is said to have alleged that stories raising challenging questions about transgender matters were suppressed, with a "constant drip-feed of one-sided stories celebrating the trans experience without adequate fairness or impartiality". The Broadcaster Reply In answer, 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.|He previously advised a panel where varied perspectives on our reporting are regularly examined and contested."