That Ain’t How It’s Supposed to Work! Trump’s NPR/PBS Funding Cut: A Constitutional Breakdown
What Happened
On May 2, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt all federal funding for NPR and PBS, accusing them of “biased reporting.” The order aimed to strip $1.1 billion in public media funding, threatening local stations’ ability to provide news, educational programming, and emergency alerts.
But here’s the kicker: the president can’t legally do this.
The LBJ Legacy: Why Public Broadcasting Exists
Public broadcasting wasn’t born from partisan whims — it was a cornerstone of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society, a legislative blitzkrieg that reshaped America. In 1967, LBJ signed the Public Broadcasting Act with overwhelming bipartisan support, creating the CPB to fund NPR and PBS. His goal? To ensure “the public interest be fully served through the public’s airwaves” without government interference.
LBJ’s vision was clear:
How the Muppets and Sesame Street characters feel over Trump’s executive order
No political meddling: The CPB was designed as a private, independent nonprofit to shield public media from partisan attacks.
A marketplace of ideas: NPR and PBS were meant to be a “Greek marketplace” for democracy, offering fact-based news and cultural programming free from corporate or government control.
This wasn’t some minor policy. The Great Society produced landmark laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Medicare, and the Voting Rights Act of 1968 — all passed in an era when Congress actually governed. LBJ’s ability to rally bipartisan majorities for transformative legislation stands in stark contrast to today’s executive overreach.
Why Trump’s Order Is Unconstitutional
1. The president doesn’t control the purse strings.
The Constitution gives Congress sole power over spending (Article I, Section 8). The CPB’s funding is authorized by Congress, not the White House. As CPB CEO Patricia Harrison fired back: “Congress expressly forbade any federal officer from controlling public broadcasting”.
2. The CPB isn’t a White House lapdog.
The CPB is a private entity, not a federal agency. Trump can’t just order it around like the Department of Education. Courts have already smacked down similar power grabs, like his attempt to dismantle USAID without Congress.
3. It’s a direct attack on the First Amendment.
Defunding media outlets over alleged “bias” sets a dangerous precedent. As NPR’s CEO stated, the order is “an affront to the free press”. The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that the government can’t punish speech it dislikes (Rosenberger v. Rector, 1995).
How You Actually Shut Down an Agency
If a president wants to eliminate a program, here’s how it’s supposed to work:
Lobby Congress: Build public and political support.
Draft legislation: Write a bill to defund or abolish the agency.
Pass it: Secure majority votes in the House and Senate.
Sign it into law: Only then can funding end.
Example: When Congress abolished the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1995, it took years of hearings, debates, and bipartisan compromise. Presidents can’t just click their heels and declare agencies dead.
What’s at Stake
Local stations: 1,500+ public radio/TV stations rely on CPB grants, especially in rural areas.
Educational programming: Shows like Sesame Street and PBS NewsHour reach 82% of U.S. households.
Checks and balances: If presidents can defund programs they dislike, it opens the door to authoritarianism.
The Bottom Line
LBJ’s Great Society reforms — including public broadcasting — were built to last. Trump’s order isn’t just illegal; it’s a rejection of the separation of powers that keeps presidents in check. Judges cannot control the legitimate powers of the executive branch. But neither can the president ignore the Constitution.
That’s how it’s supposed to work.
