Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) also filed a lawsuit a few days after National Public Radio (NPR) sued the Trump administration for attempting to cut its federal funding, claiming the proposed cuts violated the First Amendment.
Trump signed an executive order earlier this month ordering the administration to "stop federal funding to NPR and PBS, accusing "bias" in its report. Trump also hopes to revoke federal funding (CPB) for Public Broadcasting Corporation (CPB).
NPR and its member stations sued the Trump administration with PBS and Minnesota Public Television on Tuesday after a lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. on Friday, which is against Trump's executive order, which is called "corrosive" and "bias and partisan" and Partisan.
"PBS disputes those alleged assertions in the strongest terms," the lawsuit states. "But regardless of any policy differences over the role of public television, our constitution and law prohibit the President from serving as an arbitrator of PBS programming content, including attempts to return PBS."
The lawsuit continues: "(Executive Order) does not attempt to conceal the fact that it is cutting off the flow of funds to PBS due to the content of PBS programming. This is blatant viewpoint discrimination and infringement of PBS and PBS member stations and a private editorial ruling for PBS member stations."
"After careful consideration, PBS concluded that legal action is necessary to protect the editorial independence of public television and protect the autonomy of PBS member stations," PBS said in a statement.
In response to the PBS lawsuit, a White House spokesman accused the CPB of "creating media to support specific political parties that pay a dime for taxpayers." "The president is therefore exercising his legal powers to limit funding of NPR and PBS," White House spokesman Harrison Fields said in a statement (via NPR). "The president was elected to ensure the task of ensuring effective use of taxpayer funds, he will continue to use his legal powers to achieve this."
NPR and PBS receive about $500 million in public broadcasts each year through the company, amid President Lyndon B. Trump has been attacking the CPB since taking office, including attempting to fire some board members, prompting the lawsuit. The administration has also been seeking to cut federal funding for CBP. Trump will reportedly formally demand Congress in early June to withdraw CPB funds for the next two years, or $1.1 billion.