President Donald Trump said he "likes BBC better than ABC" during a brief exchange with a reporter aboard Air Force One, despite remaining locked in a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the British broadcaster.

The remark came after Trump asked a journalist which outlet they worked for.

"Who are you with?" Trump asked. "I'm with ABC News," the reporter replied.

“BBC?” Trump asked before the reporter clarified they are with ABC.

“Oh, ABC. That's worse. I like BBC better than ABC actually," Trump said.

The comment drew particular attention because Trump is currently suing the BBC over a 2024 documentary that featured edited footage from his January 6, 2021, speech before the Capitol riot.

Trump alleges the broadcaster deceptively edited portions of the speech to give viewers the impression he directly encouraged the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The BBC later apologized for the editing error but has denied Trump's defamation claims and has said it will vigorously defend the lawsuit.

The clip of Trump’s comments on board Air Force One quickly circulated on X after being shared by the administration’s @RapidResponse47 account.

Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.

Why Is Trump Suing the BBC?

Trump filed the lawsuit in late 2025, seeking up to $10 billion in damages over the BBC documentary Trump, A Second Chance.

The complaint centers on a sequence in which separate portions of Trump's January 6 speech were edited together. The lawsuit, which was filed in Florida, accuses the BBC of "intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring" his speech.

Trump's legal team argues the presentation falsely suggested he directly called for violence at the Capitol and damaged both his personal reputation and commercial interests.

The BBC has acknowledged that the edit was inaccurate and issued an apology. In a statement given last November, it said: "We accept that our edit unintentionally created the impression that we were showing a single continuous section of the speech, rather than excerpts from different points in the speech, and that this gave the mistaken impression that President Trump had made a direct call for violent action."

Following this, the broadcaster has argued that Trump's wider defamation claims lack merit and has sought to have the lawsuit dismissed.

The case has quickly become one of the highest-profile media lawsuits filed by Trump since returning to office, reflecting his broader willingness to pursue legal action against major news organizations over coverage he considers unfair or defamatory.

In July, Trump narrowed part of the case by dropping claims against BBC Studios, the broadcaster's commercial arm. However, he continues to pursue claims against the BBC itself. The lawsuit is currently set to go to trial early in 2027.

Judge Ordered Release of Trump Financial Records

The lawsuit entered a new phase last month when U.S. Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett ruled that Trump must provide financial information as part of the discovery process.

The judge concluded that Trump's own complaint placed alleged business harm at the center of the case, making records relating to his companies potentially relevant to determining damages.

The decision could allow BBC lawyers to seek information from a wide network of businesses linked to Trump's family trust, creating the possibility of a significant examination of the president's commercial interests during litigation.

Trump's attorneys subsequently indicated they planned to amend the lawsuit to focus on reputational harm rather than financial losses. They argued that because Trump is no longer seeking compensation tied to alleged business damage, extensive financial disclosures should not be necessary.

A Different Tone Toward the BBC

Trump's joking reference to preferring the BBC over ABC also marked a notable contrast with some of his previous comments about the broadcaster.

During another exchange with a BBC journalist aboard Air Force One earlier this year, Trump accused the network of putting "terrible words" in his mouth and referred to it as a "fake" outlet while discussing the lawsuit.

This week's exchange appeared far more lighthearted, even as the legal dispute between the president and the broadcaster continues to move through federal court.

The comment also underscored Trump's long-running tensions with ABC News, a network he has frequently criticized during both his presidential campaigns and his time in office.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang