A lawsuit has been filed by PBS against United States President Donald Trump and other administration officials to prevent Trump’s order from cutting federal funding for the 330-station public television system. This action followed a similar lawsuit filed by NPR, which also faced funding cuts.
Trump claimed that PBS’s news coverage is biased against conservatives, leading to accusations of “viewpoint discrimination” and overstepping authority. However, PBS strongly denies these allegations and argues that the Constitution and laws prevent the President from determining the content of their programming.
PBS stated that Trump’s order is an “existential threat” to Lakeland PBS, one of its stations serving rural areas in Minnesota. The station’s programming, including education and local news, would be severely impacted.
The White House claims that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is creating media to support a specific political party using taxpayer dollars. The White House also asserts that Trump has the authority to limit funding to PBS and NPR in order to ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
PBS states that federal funding accounts for 22 percent of its revenue, with the majority of funds raised through individual station dues. The lawsuit also names Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants.
The administration has been engaged in conflicts with various media organizations, including government-run news services and the Associated Press. These actions have raised concerns about the administration’s stance on media freedom.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/5/30/pbs-sues-trump-for-stripping-its-funds?traffic_source=rss
