Trump move to bar funding for NPR, PBS stopped by court
Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Order to Cut NPR and PBS Funding
A federal court has intervened to prevent the Trump administration from implementing an executive order that would have cut funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The directive, issued in May 2024, instructed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease financial support for these entities, either directly or through indirect means.
VOA Employees’ Leave Order Paused
In a separate development, an appeals court panel temporarily halted the enforcement of a federal judge’s order requiring the Trump administration to recall hundreds of Voice of America (VOA) employees from unpaid leave. This pause comes after US District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth had previously ruled the administration’s action to place more VOA staff on leave was unlawful.
Unlawful Directive Under Scrutiny
US District Judge Randolph Moss, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, ruled that President Donald Trump’s executive order violated constitutional principles. The judge emphasized that the directive ran counter to the First Amendment, which “does not tolerate viewpoint discrimination and retaliation of this type.”
“It is difficult to conceive of clearer evidence that a government action is targeted at viewpoints that the President does not like and seeks to squelch,” wrote Moss in his decision.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the ruling, labeling it “a ridiculous decision by an activist judge attempting to undermine the law.” The administration’s effort to limit funding for NPR and PBS, which was also part of a July legislative package canceling about $1.1 billion in public broadcasting funds, faces ongoing legal challenges.
While the immediate impact of Moss’s decision remains unclear, the ruling underscores the deepening controversy over the federal government’s influence on media funding. The appeals court’s action further highlights the divided legal landscape surrounding Trump’s policies.
