On May 27, National Public Radio (NPR) filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over an executive order that would cut off its federal funding. The order, issued by President Trump on May 1, claimed that NPR and PBS don’t give the public fair or balanced news and therefore shouldn’t receive taxpayer money.
NPR responded by saying the president’s move violates the U.S. Constitution. In a public statement, NPR said the First Amendment protects them from government interference or punishment based on their reporting. They argued that Trump’s order was clearly intended to pressure NPR to change how it reports the news or risk losing money, which they say is unconstitutional.
Three local radio stations—Aspen Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, and KSUT Public Radio—also joined the lawsuit. They, along with NPR, named several Trump administration officials in the case, including Trump himself, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which hands out federal funding to NPR and PBS, is also named in the suit.
NPR’s lawyer, Theodore Boutrous Jr., said this is a serious legal issue. He warned that if the order stands, it could affect millions of Americans who rely on NPR and its member stations for news, culture, and emergency updates.
The Trump administration disagreed. A White House spokesperson said the president is simply trying to make sure taxpayer money isn’t used to support what they see as politically biased media. According to them, Trump has the legal authority to cut off funding and is doing so to ensure public money is spent responsibly.
This lawsuit now puts the issue in the hands of the courts, where it could shape the future of public media and First Amendment protections in the U.S.
