PBS and a rural Minnesota public television station have initiated a lawsuit against President Trump following his executive order demanding the termination of all federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, accuses Trump of exceeding his presidential authority and infringing upon Constitutional protections of free speech. The complaint highlights that Trump’s order stems from dissatisfaction with PBS’s news coverage and programming.
The legal action states, “This action challenges an unprecedented presidential directive attacking PBS and its member stations… in a manner that will upend public television.”
It further contends, “The EO makes no attempt to hide the fact that it is cutting off the flow of funds to PBS because of the content of PBS programming and out of a desire to alter the content of speech. That is blatant viewpoint discrimination and an infringement of PBS and PBS Member Stations’ private editorial discretion.”
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger declined to comment on the lawsuit.
In a statement, PBS articulated the need for legal action to protect public television’s editorial independence and the autonomy of its member stations. The Minnesota affiliate, Lakeland PBS, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the potential severe consequences on local programming.
The White House has countered the lawsuit by asserting that CPB is allegedly creating media that supports a specific political party using taxpayer money. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields stated, “The President is exercising his lawful authority to limit funding to NPR and PBS… The President was elected with a mandate to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and he will continue to use his lawful authority to achieve that objective.”
Trump’s executive order criticizes NPR and PBS for what he describes as a failure to deliver fair and unbiased news. He argues that in today’s media landscape, there are ample options for consumers, rendering government funding for news media obsolete and potentially damaging to the perceived independence of journalism.
The order explicitly prohibits CPB from distributing funds to both PBS and NPR and bars local stations from transferring any federal money to these networks.
In a series of capitalized social media posts, Trump has denounced PBS and NPR, labeling them as “RADICAL LEFT ‘MONSTERS’ THAT SO BADLY HURT OUR COUNTRY!”
PBS and Lakeland PBS reject Trump’s characterizations and maintain that their content serves an essential role in public broadcasting. They assert in the lawsuit that it is unconstitutional for the President to dictate the programming content of PBS by imposing funding restrictions.
This lawsuit by PBS follows another filing from NPR and three Colorado public radio stations against the Trump administration, raising similar legal arguments.
According to the PBS filings, the proposed funding cuts could result in a loss of approximately $81 million annually in federal grants. This loss would severely affect not only PBS but also the $227 million that public TV stations collectively contribute annually to PBS for various programming, which includes popular content such as educational children’s shows and acclaimed documentaries.
A day after Trump issued his executive order, the U.S. Education Department canceled a significant grant to CPB and PBS, which had supported a major educational initiative worth about $31 million yearly.
Lakeland PBS, which serves rural and tribal areas in Northern and Central Minnesota, is the only television news source providing nightly coverage in that region. The station supplies local educational resources, including curricular videos and lesson plans, critical for local educators.
The lawsuit highlights a troubling financial picture: while PBS member stations generally receive around 15% of their funding directly from CPB, Lakeland PBS depends on federal grants from CPB for 37% of its total annual revenue. Notably, this public funding underpins all payments made to PBS for programming and services.
The lawsuit articulates that Lakeland PBS lacks sufficient unrestricted funds to substitute for the necessary federal grants essential for PBS programming. It notes a decline in local business support and challenges in securing philanthropic donations.
The legal filing underscores the existential threat posed to Lakeland PBS from the funding cuts, declaring: “Lakeland PBS cannot readily or affordably replace such content and services.”
Represented by Akin Gump Strauss, a prominent Washington-based law firm, PBS and Lakeland PBS have taken a stand against what they perceive as unconstitutional actions.
Additionally, the board of CPB, a privately incorporated entity through which federal funds allocated by Congress are distributed to public broadcasters, has rejected Trump’s directive and is in the process of suing him over another executive order that aims to dismiss three of its members.
CPB’s lawsuit similarly emphasizes protections established by Congress to shield public broadcasters from political influence by federal officials, which they argue includes the President of the United States.
Looking forward, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other lawmakers are anticipating a formal request from Trump to Congress, expected in early June, seeking to rescind the $1.1 billion earmarked for public broadcasting over the next two years. This funding was previously approved by both the Republican-led House and Senate.
While it remains uncertain when Congress will deliberate on this rescission package, Johnson has asserted a commitment to expedite spending cuts. He explained that once the request is made, Congress would have 45 days to approve it for it to take effect.
This situation continues to develop, raising significant questions about the future of public broadcasting and the interplay between governmental funding and editorial independence.
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