Donald Trump has now said it is his “obligation” to sue the BBC for defamation after the broadcaster allegedly doctored footage of him in a speech.”Well, I think I have an obligation to do it… You can’t allow people to do that,” Mr Trump told Fox News on Wednesday morning, UK time.”I guess I have to,” he said, and accused the BBC of “defrauding the public [and] admitting it”.”This is one of our great allies… the BBC – the Government has a big chunk of that one, I guess,” Mr Trump continued.He said the BBC made his January 6 speech “sound radical”, and accused the corporation of deliberately changing it.On Monday, the President had threatened the corporation with a $1billion-valued lawsuit over the “biased” footage, which aired in a Panorama documentary before his 2024 election triumph.He gave it until 10pm on Friday to apologise and offer a settlement figure – or face his lawyers in a Florida court.In the Panorama show, two parts of Mr Trump’s speech were edited together, giving the illusion Mr Trump had incited his supporters to riot.BBC chairman Samir Shah has so far apologised for an “error of judgment” over the editing.Donald Trump told Fox News he had an ‘obligation’ to sue the broadcaster | FOX NEWSBut in a letter seen by GB News, the President’s lawyer Alejandro Brito demanded “a full and fair retraction” of the documentary and “any and all other false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading, and inflammatory statements about President Trump in as conspicuous a manner as they were originally published”, as well as an apology and compensation.Then on Tuesday, No10 suggested Sir Keir Starmer had not spoken to Mr Trump about the lawsuit.Asked when the PM last spoke with Mr Trump, a Downing Street spokesman said: “I refer you back to whenever we last put out a read-out” and added that any calls would be set out in the usual way.The official insisted the pair enjoyed a “very strong relationship” – but dodged questions on whether that had been affected by Mr Trump’s spat with the broadcaster.No10 insisted the PM and President enjoyed a ‘very strong relationship’ despite the lawsuit | GETTYThat came before his remarks about the Government’s relationship with the broadcaster, and his “great allies” jab.Also on Tuesday, outgoing BBC director-general Tim Davie had issued an address to embattled staff.”Firstly, let me say a few things… It’s been a tough few days, hasn’t it?” he told employees.Mr Davie added: “I think what I would say is these times are difficult for the BBC, but they get through them. We will get through it… And we will thrive. We will thrive.”PICTURED: Tim Davie arrives at BBC Broadcasting House after he and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness resigned | REUTERSThen in the Commons, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy thanked both him and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness, who also tendered her resignation on Sunday.Ms Nandy said the broadcaster “has faced criticism from all sides for its coverage of highly contentious and contested issues, and accused of giving too much airtime to particular parties, and for giving them too little”.Then in a veiled swipe at GB News, which retained its top spot as Britain’s most-watched news channel for a fourth month in a row, the Culture Secretary added that the BBC was “by far the most widely used and trusted news in the United Kingdom.”At a time when the lines are being dangerously blurred between fact and opinion, news and polemic, the BBC stands apart. It is a light on the hill for people here and across the world.”