NPR and three Colorado public radio stations filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and several departments of his administration on May 27. They’re challenging an executive order issued by the president that seeks to cease federal funding to NPR and PBS.
Trump has accused the two national news organizations of failing to present a “fair,” “accurate” and “unbiased” portrayal of current events to taxpayers.
“Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence,” said the executive order, which is titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media.”
But the lawsuit, filed in federal court for the District of Columbia, alleges the executive order punishes NPR — and stations that receive federal funding — for publishing stories the president doesn’t like. The suit argues that the order violates freedom of speech and freedom of the press, as well as the Public Broadcasting Act.
The suit also states the order “threatens the existence of a public radio system that millions of Americans across the country rely on for vital news and information.”
Listed as plaintiffs in the suit are Colorado Public Radio, which provides statewide coverage, Aspen Public Radio, in the state’s Roaring Fork Valley, and KSUT in the four corners region, known for its longstanding coverage of Indigenous communities.
“These participating Colorado stations reflect the diversity of public radio across the country — we are each independent, nonprofit organizations that represent rural, mountain and urban communities and together serve every district of Colorado,” said a joint statement from the stations.
All receive some funding through the federal Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB), ranging from 6% to 19% of their budgets, and use funds to pay to air NPR programming.
PBS isn’t involved in the suit.
In a statement to the media industry publication, Current, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields said CPB is “creating media to support a particular political party on the taxpayers’ dime. Therefore, the President is exercising his lawful authority to limit funding to NPR and PBS.”
Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR, said in a statement that the intent of Trump’s executive order “could not be more clear,” that it “aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the President dislikes.”
Editor's Note 5/28: The title of this story was changed from "Colorado public radio stations and NPR join in lawsuit over Trump executive order" to "NPR and Colorado public radio stations join in lawsuit over Trump executive order." This change was made to reflect that NPR is leading the lawsuit.
This station carries NPR programming and receives some federal funding through CPB.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by CPB.
