NPR has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following an executive order signed earlier in May that freezes federal funding to NPR and PBS. NPR argued that the order violates its First Amendment rights. The Trump administration maintains that the federal government should not be in the business of funding news media.
Breakdown of public media funding
Public radio stations receive approximately $120 million annually from federal agencies, according to NPR CEO Katherine Maher. Of that total, $11.2 million is allocated directly to NPR’s operational costs. According to NPR’s website, this represents roughly 1% of the organization’s annual budget.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a federal agency established by Congress, distributes more than $500 million annually to public radio and television stations across the country. According to the most recent tax filings available from 2023, PBS reported $544 million in total revenue. Of that, more than $80 million — or 15% — came from federal funding.
Legal challenge centers on constitutional authority
NPR asked the court to declare the executive order unconstitutional. The organization contends that decisions regarding federal appropriations must originate in Congress.
“The president has no authority under the Constitution to take such actions. On the contrary, the power of the purse is reserved to Congress,” the lawsuit states.
The executive order, titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media,” states, “Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.”
Recent congressional hearing highlights partisan divide
The executive order and resulting legal action come just months after the CEOs of NPR and PBS testified before Congress. During the hearing, Democratic lawmakers described public media as essential, while Republicans characterized it as politically biased.
“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is using taxpayer dollars to suppress the truth, suppress diverse viewpoints, and produce some of the most outlandish, ludicrous content,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, said. “We believe you all can hate us on your own dime.”
“Public broadcasting is a tool for education, for emergencies, and a cherished part of our national fabric,” Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said. “We get huge benefits from a tiny federal investment. “[Republicans] and [Greene] should drop this attempt to silence media voices they don’t like.”
Watchdog group revises NPR bias rating
The media watchdog organization AllSides, which assesses outlets for political bias, previously rated NPR as “center.” However, the group changed NPR’s rating to “left-leaning” beginning in 2022. The rating has remained unchanged since then.
