Trump Threatens BBC Lawsuit, Says He Urged Xi On Jimmy Lai’s Release | World News

US President Donald Trump has announced plans to file a lawsuit against the BBC, accusing the British broadcaster of using artificial intelligence to attribute false statements to him, while also personally urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to consider the release of jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.

Speaking to reporters at the White House after the ceremony held in honor of US soldiers, Trump said that the BBC published statements he never made and described this incident as a serious violation of journalistic standards.

“They actually put horrible words into my mouth,” Trump said. “They made me say things I never said.”

Trump suggested that artificial intelligence may have been used to fabricate or alter his comments. “I think they used AI or something,” he said, adding that the publisher ignored what he described as his actual words while publishing statements he denied making.

Trump said legal action was imminent. “We’ll probably file this lawsuit this afternoon or tomorrow morning,” he said, calling the episode “fake news.”

The President said the alleged misrepresentation was related to statements about the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021. “They’re actually making me speak words I’ve never said,” Trump said, adding that what he described as “nice words of patriotism” were omitted.

He claimed the problem had become so apparent that it was acknowledged internally. “I believe someone at the BBC said this was so bad it should be reported,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments come amid growing debate in the United States and Europe over the role of artificial intelligence in news production; This includes concerns about manipulated audio, video and text being presented as genuine journalism.

In the same call with reporters, Trump responded to a question about China and human rights, saying he had raised the case of Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai directly with President Xi.

“I talked to President Xi about this,” Trump said. “I asked for his release to be considered.”

Trump stated that the request was based on humanitarian grounds. “He is an old man and his condition is not good,” he said, adding that he personally conveyed his concerns to the Chinese leader.

Lai, founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, was convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law; it was a move that sparked widespread international criticism from press freedom groups and Western governments.

Asked whether he expected a response from Beijing, Trump replied, “We’ll see what happens.”

The president did not specify whether Lai’s arrest would affect broader U.S.-China relations, which have been strained over trade, technology, Taiwan and human rights concerns.