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NPR and public radio stations sue Trump White House over funding cuts

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On Tuesday, NPR and three affiliate broadcasting stations initiated a lawsuit against the White House of President Trump in federal court, challenging the president’s executive decree that restricts financing for publicly-funded media outlets.

Trump’s decree aimed to halt federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a publicly supported organization that finances NPR and PBS. He referred to these broadcasting platforms as “biased liberal propaganda.

The suit says the May 1 action by Trump violated the 1st Amendment.

The Order specifically aims at NPR and PBS due to the belief that their news and other content, as seen by the President, lack fairness, accuracy, and impartiality, as stated in a legal document, according to a report from NPR.

The suit further mentions that this financial support, roughly $500 million per year, is pre-allocated by Congress two years ahead of time.

The head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Patricia Harrison, informed NPR that Congress specifically granted and financed CPB to operate as an entirely autonomous, private non-profit organization, free from federal government control.

Harrison stated that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting operates independently from federal agencies, thus it’s not directly under the president’s control.

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1973’s live broadcasting of the Watergate hearings attracted large viewership and generous viewer donations. This coverage was instrumental in the establishment of the “PBS NewsHour.

According to NPR’s President and CEO, Katherine Maher, the Executive Order blatantly disregards the Constitution and the First Amendment’s guarantees for free speech, assembly, and a free press.

Trump’s order is part of several efforts aimed at restricting or pressuring organizations that he disagrees with. His targets range from law firms, universities, to media companies like CBS, which faces a lawsuit for $20 billion related to a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential campaign.

NPR brought a legal action involving three public radio stations, such as Colorado Public Radio based in Denver, Aspen Public Radio, and KSUT that caters to the Four Corners area, encompassing Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

It’s been emphasized by both NPR and PBS that the majority of their federal funds are allocated to local stations, which in turn deliver news and emergency updates tailored to their respective communities.

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2025-05-27 17:31

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