Hold onto your remote, folks—President Trump just shook up the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) with a bold move that’s got the left clutching their NPR tote bags.
The Hill reported that a federal judge declined to stop Trump’s removal of three CPB board members, though the court tossed a small bone to the corporation by recognizing its intended independence from presidential meddling.
Let’s rewind to April 28, when Laura Ross, Diane Kaplan, and Thomas Rothman got the digital boot via email termination notices straight from the Trump administration.
Fast forward to Sunday, when U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington, D.C., shut down their plea for a preliminary injunction to halt the firings. The judge’s take? The trio couldn’t prove the dismissals were illegal or that they’d face irreparable harm without court intervention.
“Plaintiffs have failed to carry their burden,” Moss wrote in his opinion, essentially telling the board members to pack up their arguments and go home.
Now, let’s be clear—CPB isn’t just some obscure government outfit; it’s the biggest bankroller of public media like PBS and NPR, outlets Trump and his allies have long accused of leaning hard left.
The lawsuit from Ross, Kaplan, and Rothman argued that Trump overstepped his authority, claiming CPB was set up by Congress back in 1967 to be a fortress against political interference.
“Congress intended to preclude the President from controlling the Corporation,” the court ruling noted, a line CPB officials are waving like a victory flag even as they lost the main battle.
Here’s the rub: while the court acknowledged congressional intent to shield CPB, it also hinted Trump might have the power to axe board members, leaving the door wide open for more shake-ups.
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump has been vocal about wanting Congress to pull the plug on funding for public broadcasters, while his Federal Communications Commission chair is itching to probe NPR and PBS over donations and editorial slant.
Conservatives have argued for years that taxpayer dollars shouldn’t prop up outlets perceived as hostile to right-leaning views, and this latest move feels like a long-overdue pushback against a progressive media machine.
Still, CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison isn’t throwing in the towel, signing a document to affirm the three members remain on the board, per a source in the know.
“We are very pleased that the Court recognized CPB is an independent, nonprofit corporation,” Harrison stated, trying to spin a loss into a moral win. If only optimism paid the bills—or secured board seats.
She added, “CPB, board and management, look forward to continuing our work with policymakers to ensure accurate, unbiased public media.”
Noble words, but with Trump’s team circling, that mission might face more static than a poorly tuned radio.