Katherine Maher, the recently appointed CEO of NPR, is not pulling punches. In her organization’s filing against Donald Trump, she calls the executive order “a clear violation of the Constitution and the First Amendment’s protections for freedom of speech and association, and freedom of the press.” Maher, a digital rights advocate and former head of the Wikimedia Foundation, is leading the legal charge with clarity and resolve. Her background defending information freedom online has prepared her well for this moment. Under her leadership, NPR is not just pushing back, it’s drawing a line in the sand over what kind of democracy we want to live in.
On May 1, 2025, Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14290, grandly titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media.” At first glance, it might seem like just another budgetary decision wrapped in political rhetoric. But take a closer look, and it becomes clear: this is not about fiscal responsibility. It’s about power, control, and punishing critical voices.
The order explicitly directs all federal agencies and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt funding for NPR and PBS, based on what it calls the “biased and partisan” nature of their reporting. The language is unambiguous. Section 1 of the order accuses these outlets of failing to present “a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events.” Section 2 goes further, claiming that defunding is necessary to prevent taxpayer dollars from supporting what the administration sees as slanted journalism.
This isn’t policy. This is retaliation.
It’s a dangerous precedent when the government uses its power to suppress journalism it doesn’t like. And the order admits it’s sidestepping Congress entirely. It claims that because “the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options,” public funding is no longer necessary. The logic here is shallow, and the constitutional implications are serious. The president doesn’t get to override laws because he doesn’t agree with who benefits from them. Congress appropriated these funds. That’s not up for debate.
The real-world impact is already visible. CPB has warned that if the order goes through, the PRSS Interconnection system — the infrastructure that distributes NPR programming to public radio stations — will go dark. The CPB was in the middle of negotiating a $35.9 million extension of that system using money Congress had already approved. “If the PRSS Interconnection Grant is not extended, the PRSS system will cease operations and the resulting effects will be catastrophic,” the CPB stated in court.
Let’s be real. This isn’t about saving money. It’s about silencing dissent. The Trump team is trying to use the machinery of government to defund independent journalism under the guise of fairness. This is the same former president who has long painted the press as the enemy of the people and who now wants to make that narrative federal policy.
The lawsuit filed by NPR, Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio, and KSUT Public Radio lays it out plainly. This is viewpoint discrimination. And it’s a violation of the First Amendment.
In the Bay Area, we understand the value of independent media. Public broadcasting is part of the civic infrastructure that holds power to account. To watch it be attacked like this should concern anyone who believes in democracy, regardless of political leanings.
The courts will now decide whether a former president can defund media he doesn’t like, sidestepping Congress and the Constitution in the process. We already know what the answer should be.