PBS Challenges Presidential Order to Slash Public Broadcasting Funds

On Friday, PBS initiated legal proceedings against President Trump to halt an executive order that intends to reduce federal funding for public television and radio, asserting that the order breaches constitutional protections.

The lawsuit, submitted to the U.S. District Court in Washington by PBS alongside a Minnesota public television station, argues that the executive order unlawfully permits the President to dictate the content of PBS programming by attempting to withdraw its funding.

According to the complaint, the executive order openly aims to cut funding to PBS based on the nature of its programming, constituting clear viewpoint discrimination.

No immediate response was provided by the White House regarding the lawsuit.

Earlier this month, the President signed an executive directive requiring the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is funded by taxpayers, to reduce federal support for NPR and PBS due to alleged political bias. Both organizations have strongly opposed the move: NPR recently filed its own lawsuit challenging the order, while PBS CEO Paula Kerger denounced it as flagrantly illegal.

PBS warns that this executive order threatens to disrupt public television, home to long-standing programs such as "Sesame Street," "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," and "Frontline."

Approximately 16 percent of PBS's $373.4 million annual budget is sourced from grants provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which allocates over $500 million yearly to public media. The lawsuit further states that the order could imperil around 61 percent of PBS’s funding derived from local station dues, as the White House’s ban on indirect funding might extend to these stations.

Funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is allocated by Congress two years in advance to shield it from immediate political influence.

A spokesperson for PBS expressed that the network deemed legal action necessary to defend the editorial independence of public television and to maintain the autonomy of its member stations.

In its legal filing, PBS contends that Congress—not the President—holds the authority to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The suit also cites the First Amendment, stating the President cannot lawfully decide funding eligibility based on an organization’s viewpoints.

This executive order is part of broader efforts by Republican lawmakers to diminish public media support. The administration has indicated plans to request Congress to rescind funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and has attempted to remove members of its board. Concurrently, legislative initiatives are underway to withdraw funding from NPR and PBS.