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Former BBC director says broadcaster should not pay Trump

00:48

Ex-BBC boss dismisses Trump lawsuit threat with four-word response

A former BBC director general has said he does not think the BBC should pay any money to Donald Trump after the US president confirmed he would still sue the broadcaster for up to $5bn, despite the BBC apologising for its Panorama edit of the president’s January 6 speech.

"No, should not happen," Lord Tony Hall told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg in an interview broadcast on Sunday (16 November).

"You’re talking about licence fee payers’ money, you’re talking about public money. It would not be appropriate," Lord Hall added.

Mr Trump said he would sue the corporation for “anywhere between $1bn (£759.8m) and $5bn (£3.79bn), probably sometime next week”, while speaking to reporters on Friday.

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