The question about a subpoena was raised by a British journalist at the White House press briefing on Wednesday.
Leavitt responded that the lawsuit has been filed, and that the process surrounding a lawsuit will continue and that it is up to the BBC to decide whether the company wants to apologize.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump had said that it was his "duty" to sue the British public service broadcaster BBC.
This is due to the BBC's editing of his notable speech shortly before the deadly storming of the Capitol in January 2021.
“Beautiful speech”
"I guess I have to... why not, since they deceived the public and have admitted it," Trump said, according to the BBC , in response to a question about the alleged impeachment on the Fox News program "The Ingraham Angle."
They actually changed my January 6th speech, which was a beautiful speech, a very soothing speech, and they made it sound radical.
The president also claims that it is his "duty" to sue the public service broadcaster and that the BBC "butchered" the speech in a way that was deceptive to viewers.
The spokesperson did not say where the lawsuit was filed, but she said that the initiated process does not pose any problems in the relationship between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
However, she criticized the BBC for being a "left-wing propaganda machine" and lamented that it is paid for with British taxpayer money.
Internal discussion
The storm surrounding the BBC – considered one of the world’s most credible and respected media companies – revolves around the editing of Trump’s speech in the documentary “Panorama.” The editing, where two parts of the speech were cut together, gives the impression that the president is directly calling for violence ahead of the storming of the Capitol building on January 6, 2021.
The program was broadcast last year and produced by an independent company. The reason it is being brought to attention now is that The Telegraph reported on internal BBC discussions about the program.
The BBC has admitted that “some mistakes” were made and two top executives have resigned. And the company’s chairman, Samir Shah, apologized on Monday for “lack of judgment.”
The BBC had then received a letter from the White House. In the letter, Trump's lawyers threaten to sue the BBC for $1 billion unless the company withdraws the program, apologizes, and compensates him. The deadline for the BBC to respond is set for Friday evening.
