NPR and three Colorado public radio stations are taking the Trump administration to federal court over an executive order that slashes funding to public media.
Filed Tuesday in Washington, D.C., the lawsuit challenges Donald Trump’s May 1st directive to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to stop funding NPR and PBS. The order claims both organizations are biased and misinform taxpayers, but the plaintiffs argue it’s a direct attack on press freedom.
“The Executive Order is a clear violation of the Constitution and the First Amendment’s protections for freedom of speech and association, and freedom of the press,” said NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher. She added, “This is retaliatory, viewpoint-based discrimination.”
The lawsuit accuses Trump of overstepping his authority by attempting to cut congressionally appropriated funds and interfere with independent journalism. “The Order targets NPR and PBS expressly because, in the President’s view, their news and other content is not ‘fair, accurate, or unbiased.’”
Public broadcasters across Colorado joined the legal challenge, including Aspen Public Radio and KSUT. “Our mission, and our responsibility, is grounded in the First Amendment,” they said.
The administration defended the move, with spokesperson Harrison Fields stating, “The President is exercising his lawful authority to limit funding to NPR and PBS.”
But CPB President Patricia Harrison pushed back, saying, “CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President’s authority.” Her organization has also sued Trump over an earlier order to remove board members.
The case now rests with U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss.
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