Trial set over NPR allegations that CPB yielded to White House pressure

"President Trump had been in the White House barely two months when he began attacking NPR and its TV counterpart PBS on social media as "radical left MONSTERS." On May 1, he followed up with an executive order to stop all federal dollars from going to them. In response, NPR and three member stations in Colorado sued both the Trump administration and CPB, alleging their First Amendment rights were being violated."

"NPR alleges that CPB unlawfully yanked away a planned three-year contract worth $36 million in the face of intense pressure from the White House to sever ties with the radio network. In a court hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss had indicated a deep skepticism of CPB's argument that it sharply reversed course this spring on the merits as NPR presented more evidence it sought to appease the administration."

A federal judge scheduled the NPR and CPB dispute for trial in December. NPR alleges CPB unlawfully rescinded a planned three‑year, $36 million contract after intense White House pressure to sever ties. The judge expressed skepticism that CPB reversed course on contract merits and said CPB likely acted to survive. CPB had funneled federal dollars to public media until Congress and the president halted $1.1 billion in planned subsidies, leaving only a skeleton crew. President Trump publicly attacked NPR and PBS and issued an executive order to stop federal funding. NPR and three Colorado stations sued the administration and CPB alleging First Amendment violations. The contested contract covered satellite and distribution services that NPR had operated for decades.

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