Judge Blocks Trump Order to Defund NPR, PBS

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, March 31, 2026 | 4:06pm CT

US courthouse and news coverage

A federal judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump's executive order to cut off federal funding to public broadcasters NPR and PBS violates the First Amendment, declaring the action unconstitutional and unenforceable.

U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss in Washington, DC, found the order unlawfully targeted the broadcasters based on their perceived viewpoints. In his decision, Moss wrote that the government cannot use its authority "to punish or suppress disfavored expression," concluding that the executive order crossed that constitutional line.

The order, signed in May 2025, directed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt funding to NPR and PBS, citing concerns over alleged bias in their news coverage. Both organizations denied those claims and challenged the directive in court.

Moss said the order improperly singled out the two media organizations and barred them from federal funding programs solely due to their speech. He noted that such funding supports a wide range of services beyond news programming, including emergency broadcast systems, educational content, and journalist safety.

The ruling permanently blocks enforcement of the order, though it could still be appealed.

The decision comes after Congress previously moved to rescind approximately $1.1 billion in funding for public media, and after the CPB announced plans to shut down following the loss of federal support. While the court's ruling does not automatically restore funding, it affirms that future congressional appropriations for public media cannot be restricted by executive action based on content.

NPR called the decision "a decisive affirmation of the rights of a free and independent press," while PBS described it as a clear rejection of unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination. Their attorney, Theodore Boutrous, said the ruling represents "a victory for the First Amendment and for freedom of the press."

The White House criticized the decision, calling it an overreach by the judiciary and signaling plans to continue fighting the issue.