The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has sued Donald Trump after the former US President cut its federal funding. PBS called the decision an unprecedented move that could severely disrupt public television.
The broadcaster filed its complaint in a federal court in Washington, DC. PBS argued that Trump’s 1 May executive order violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution. It said the order wrongly gives the president power over its programming content.
PBS stated that the order “makes no attempt to hide the fact that it is cutting off the flow of funds to PBS because of the content of PBS programming and out of a desire to alter the content of speech.” The broadcaster described this as “blatant viewpoint discrimination.”
It also claimed the order unlawfully prevents member stations from using federal funds to access PBS content and services. PBS said the decision appeared to be retaliation for news coverage that Trump may have seen as politically biased.
Earlier in the month, the White House accused PBS and NPR (National Public Radio) of spending millions in taxpayer funds to promote “radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.’”
Both PBS and NPR receive some financial support from the government.
Trump’s order is part of a wider effort to target organisations he views as politically opposed to him.
PBS is well known for its programming, including Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Frontline, and documentaries by Ken Burns such as The Civil War.
