PBS sues Trump administration in wake of calls to strip funding
Share and Follow


PBS is suing President Trump’s administration on First Amendment grounds, arguing the president is trying to pull funding the from the broadcaster because of editorial coverage he disagrees with.

The suit filed Friday in federal court in Washington, D.C., accused the president of trying to “upend public television” and argues the law “forbids” him from pulling funding to it and other public broadcast outlets.

PBS’s suit follows a similar lawsuit filed earlier this week by NPR, which similarly argued Trump’s executive order targeting funding to public media “violates the Separation of Powers and the Spending Clause by disregarding Congress’s express commands.”

In a statement to The Hill on Friday, a spokesperson for PBS said, “after careful deliberation, PBS reached the conclusion that it was necessary to take legal action to safeguard public television’s editorial independence, and to protect the autonomy of PBS member stations.” 

Trump and his allies have long attacked NPR and PBS over their funding, some of which comes from taxpayer dollars but a larger portion of which is derived from private donations and member stations.

On Capitol Hill, a push among Republicans to strip federal funding from public broadcasters is gaining steam, though some lawmakers expressed skepticism.

At a hearing last month, PBS president Paula Kerger defended the outlet’s editorial strategy and funding model, arguing the network provides vital services to Americans and particularly children through educational programming.

But Trump, in his executive order that has now sparked a pair of lawsuits, argued PBS and NPR are biased against his agenda in their news coverage and are undeserving of federal dollars.

“No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the Government is entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize,” his executive order on the matter reads. “Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to tax paying citizens.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
PETA suggests replacing Punxsutawney Phil with hologram for Groundhog Day: 'Let Phil and his family retire'

PETA Proposes High-Tech Hologram to Replace Punxsutawney Phil for Groundhog Day

In a recent proposal, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)…
Vance heads to Minneapolis and says 'far left' should stop resisting immigration enforcement

Vance Challenges Minneapolis: Calls for End to ‘Far Left’ Resistance on Immigration Enforcement

In Toledo, Ohio, Vice President JD Vance on Thursday attributed the chaos…
Luka Doncic curiously absent in fiancee’s post about decade of ‘good times, hard lessons’

Intriguing Omission: Luka Doncic’s Fiancee Reflects on Ten Years of Growth Without Mentioning NBA Star

Anamaria Goltes, fiancée of Lakers star Luka Doncic, recently shared a reflective…
2026 Oscars nominations: See the full list of nominees for the 98th annual Academy Awards

Unveiling 2026 Oscars Nominees: Discover the Stars and Films Vying for Glory at the 98th Academy Awards

Los Angeles is buzzing with excitement as nomination day for the 2026…
Animal activists upset after LA dog is dragged out of apartment by rescuers

Controversy Erupts as LA Dog Rescue Sparks Outrage Among Animal Activists

Outrage has erupted among animal enthusiasts following the release of a video…
Murder rate drops to lowest level since 1900 across major US cities nationwide

Major US Cities Report Lowest Murder Rates Since 1900

Crime plummets in DC following Trump’s takeover Chad Bianco, the Sheriff of…
Gov. Hochul’s ‘back to basics’ call in math instruction is further evidence of State Ed's lack of accountability

Governor Hochul Advocates for ‘Back to Basics’ in Math Education, Highlighting State Education’s Accountability Challenges

Governor Kathy Hochul is advocating for a return to fundamental math teaching…
Oscar 2026 nominations: Chalamet and DiCaprio battle it out

Oscar 2026 Nominations: Chalamet and DiCaprio Poised for Riveting Showdown

Timothee Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio are set to compete in the highly…