NPR Sues Trump Over Executive Order Targeting Public Broadcasting
National Public Radio (NPR) has filed a major lawsuit against Donald Trump following his issuance of an executive order aimed at stripping funding from public broadcasting—an order NPR argues is a direct assault on the First Amendment.
And the stakes couldn't be higher.
“NPR will never agree to this infringement of our constitutional rights, or the constitutional rights of our Member stations,” said NPR CEO Katherine Maher. “NPR will not compromise our commitment to an independent free press and journalistic integrity.” She denounced the order as “unlawful.”
The executive order, signed earlier this month, directs Congress—currently under Republican control—to slash funding for NPR and PBS. Trump has long shown hostility toward outlets that report facts he finds inconvenient, often labeling them as enemies of his political agenda. Independent journalism that doesn’t echo MAGA talking points has become a primary target.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., argues that Trump’s order “flatly contravenes statutes duly enacted by Congress and violates the Separation of Powers and the Spending Clause by disregarding Congress’s express commands.” It also claims the order violates the First Amendment protections of free speech and a free press.
“The Order’s objectives could not be clearer,” the suit states. “It seeks to punish NPR for content the President dislikes and chill the free exercise of First Amendment rights by NPR and public radio stations nationwide.”
This is more than a legal battle—it’s a pivotal moment for American democracy. Allowing any president to weaponize federal funding to suppress independent journalism sets a dangerous precedent. If we stay silent while free speech is dismantled in real time, the consequences for our democracy will be profound.
Now is the time to speak up.
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