BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith lecture

Thu, 27 Nov 2025

Journalists not allowed to repeat Rutger Bregman’s corruption claims against US president in coverage of edit

BBC presenters and journalists have been told they cannot quote a line removed from its prestigious annual lecture, in which a Dutch writer accused Donald Trump of being “the most openly corrupt president in American history”.

Rutger Bregman accused the BBC of cowardice after it decided to remove the line from the first of his Reith lectures, which he was invited to give by the corporation. The BBC said the decision was made after it received legal advice.