Karoline Leavitt attacks ‘fake news’ BBC - and raises eyebrows with her own recommendation

Donald Trump has long been vocal in his criticism of TV channels and broadcasters he doesn’t like, with the US president slapping the label of “fake news” on networks which scrutinise him and gloating about late night talk show hosts such as Stephen Colbert being taken off air.

And now, the Republican has expressed his delight at the BBC’s director general Tim Davie and CEO of News Deborah Turness both resigning following criticism over how a Panorama documentary about Trump was edited.

In a post to his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump wrote: “The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught ‘doctoring’ my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th. Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’”

Turness clapped back at the president’s description of BBC journalists and said: “Of course our journalists aren't corrupt. Our journalists are hardworking people who strive for impartiality and I will stand by their journalism."

Sharing Trump’s social media post to Twitter/X, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed BBC News is “dying” because the channel is “anti-Trump Fake News”.

“Everyone should watch [GB News],” she added.

And Leavitt’s recommendation has since raised eyebrows online:

LBC presenter and The News Agents co-host Lewis Goodall wrote sarcastically: “Impartiality definitely must mean being the President’s favourite network, supported by the President’s political project. Makes sense!”:

Kirstie Allsopp, of Location, Location, Location fame, commented: “The White House is now telling us which news we should watch. Think about that for a bit”:

Leavitt’s recommendation of GB News is despite the channel finding itself in hot water over impartiality itself in recent years, with the broadcaster being served with a £100,000 fine by the UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom in October 2024 over its People’s Forum programme with then prime minister Rishi Sunak.

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