A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's executive order to end federal funding for public media, siding with NPR and PBS.
The Trump administration can't end federal funding for public media via an executive order, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, siding with National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service in their challenges.
U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington issued an injunction barring the administration from implementing or enforcing the president's May 2025 order. He asked the parties to submit a report proposing next steps.
"The First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power -- including the power of the purse -- 'to punish or suppress disfavored expression' by others," Moss said in the ruling.
President Trump issued an executive order ending federal funding of NPR and PBS last year, saying at the time that "neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens."
NPR sued Trump, members of his administration and some federal agencies, saying the executive order violates federal law. Aspen Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio and KSUT Public Radio were also plaintiffs in the suit.
In the suit, NPR said Trump's order runs counter to the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which prohibits federal agencies from controlling the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the umbrella organization that oversaw government funding for PBS and NPR. NPR also called the executive order an attack on free speech that is "textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination." PBS and its Lakeland, Minn., member station also sued in May.
The judge, an Obama appointee, oversaw a hearing in early December on both sides' motions for summary judgment.
While the president can criticize reporting and express his own views, and impose limits on federal grants using legitimate criteria, the judge wrote Tuesday, he "may not, however, use his governmental power to direct federal agencies to exclude Plaintiffs from receiving federal grants or other funding in retaliation for saying things that he does not like."
"This is a ridiculous ruling by an activist judge attempting to undermine the law," said White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson. "NPR and PBS have no right to receive taxpayer funds, and Congress already voted to defund them. The Trump administration looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue."
In July, Congress approved Trump's plan to rescind $1.1 billion from the CPB that had been budgeted for the next two fiscal years. Most of that funding historically went to more than 1,500 public TV and radio stations around the country.
The CPB voted to dissolve itself in January. It earlier agreed to release roughly $36 million in federal funds to NPR for the public radio satellite system, resolving a portion of the lawsuit. The judge said Tuesday that claims of unlawful interference in the CPB were now moot, since the body no longer exists.
"We will continue to do what we've always done: serve our mission to educate and inspire all Americans," PBS said Tuesday, calling the executive order "textbook unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination and retaliation."
NPR didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.