National Public Radio (NPR) will receive approximately $36 million in federal grant money to continue operating the nation’s public radio satellite interconnection system under a court settlement announced Monday with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
The agreement partially resolves a lawsuit in which NPR accused the CPB of retaliating against it under pressure from President Trump, who had openly called for defunding NPR and PBS over alleged liberal bias.
The settlement declares Trump’s May 1 executive order seeking to strip funding from NPR and PBS unconstitutional, and CPB agrees not to enforce it unless ordered by a court.
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| Patricia Harrison |
CPB CEO Patricia Harrison said the corporation is pleased the litigation is resolved and highlighted its new investment through Public Media Infrastructure (PMI) as “an exciting new era for public media.”
The dispute began after Trump stated on March 25 that he would “love to” defund NPR and PBS. On April 2, the CPB board initially approved a three-year, $36-million grant extension for NPR to manage the Public Radio Satellite System it has operated since 1985. Days later, however, CPB reversed course and redirected the funds to the newly created PMI, which NPR argued was not statutorily authorized to receive them.
NPR sued, alleging First Amendment violations and political retaliation. CPB denied the claims, calling them meritless.
Under the settlement, NPR drops its challenge to separate CPB funding of PMI. A broader lawsuit seeking to permanently block enforcement of Trump’s executive order remains active; U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss will hold another hearing on December 4.