White House breaks silence on BBC Tim Davie resignation with just two-word reaction

The White House has spared no time in sticking the knife into the BBC, moments after the news broke that BBC Director General Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness had announced their resignations on Sunday evening.

Tim Davie announced his resignation as director-general of the BBC in a note sent to staff on Sunday afternoon, following a row that erupted over a doctored Donald Trump speech broadcast on the BBC's flagship Panorama programme.

Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News, has also resigned, the corporation said.

Mr Davie's note to staff said: "I wanted to let you know that I have decided to leave the BBC after 20 years," he said.

"This is entirely my decision, and I remain very thankful to the chair and board for their unswerving and unanimous support throughout my entire tenure, including during recent days.

"I am working through exact timings with the board to allow for an orderly transition to a successor over the coming months."

Tonight, less than an hour after the news broke, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt jumped onto Twitter to gloat over the development, posting two screenshots side by side with the words 'shot' followed by 'chaser'.

One showed a headline 'Trump goes to war with 'fake news' BBC', the latter showed the news of the pair of resignations.

The row between the Beeb and the President centred around a Panorama clip of a Trump speech which had been edited significantly.

The concerns regard clips spliced together from sections of the US president's speech on January 6, 2021 to make it appear he told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to "fight like hell" in the documentary Trump: A Second Chance?, which was broadcast by the BBC the week before last year's US election.

Tim Davie has now announced he will step down as director-general of the BBC after five years in the role, saying there have "been some mistakes made" and that he had to "take ultimate responsibility".

The chief executive of BBC News, Deborah Turness, also announced her resignation following a newspaper report earlier in the week, which accused the corporation of selectively editing a speech by Donald Trump on the day of the US Capitol attack.

Davie said his departure will not be immediate and that he is "working through" timings to ensure an "orderly transition" over the coming months, while Turness said in her statement that the controversy around the Panorama edit had "reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC - an institution that I love".

Davie sent a statement to staff confirming his departure from the corporation after 20 years, adding: "This is entirely my decision, and I remain very thankful to the chair and board for their unswerving and unanimous support throughout my entire tenure, including during recent days.

"I am working through exact timings with the board to allow for an orderly transition to a successor over the coming months.

"I have been reflecting on the very intense personal and professional demands of managing this role over many years in these febrile times, combined with the fact that I want to give a successor time to help shape the charter plans they will be delivering.

"In these increasingly polarised times, the BBC is of unique value and speaks to the very best of us.

"It helps make the UK a special place; overwhelmingly kind, tolerant and curious.

"Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable.

"While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision.

"Overall, the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility."

Sir Ed Davey said the resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness "must be an opportunity for the BBC to turn a new leaf, rebuild trust and not give in to the likes of Nigel Farage who want to destroy it".

The Liberal Democrat leader said: "The BBC isn't perfect but it remains one of the few institutions standing between our British values and a populist, Trump-style takeover of our politics.

"The resignations of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness must be an opportunity for the BBC to turn a new leaf, rebuild trust and not give in to the likes of Nigel Farage who want to destroy it.

"As a public service broadcaster, the BBC's role is vital in ensuring our democracy is based on facts, scrutiny, and accountability.

"We must stand up for a free press, free speech, and a strong, independent BBC, to stop Trump's America becoming Farage's Britain."

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called for "deep cultural change" at the BBC following the resignation of Tim Davie and Deborah Turness.

The community body said in a statement: "The Jewish community has long had profound concerns about the BBC's coverage of the Middle East, but this has sunk to ever greater depths over the last two years.

"The BBC has been hit by scandal after scandal, whether in terms of a Gaza documentary involving the son of a Hamas official, its Glastonbury coverage, the open sore of BBC Arabic, or by continuing to call Hamas what they are - a terrorist organisation. Jewish staff and contractors have also repeatedly complained about their treatment at the corporation.

"In this light, Tim Davie's and Deborah Turness's resignations must be seen as the beginning, rather than the end, of a process of renewal.

"Deep cultural change will be necessary to once again restore trust in one of our nation's most cherished institutions."