**PBS and Minnesota Station Sue Trump Over Funding Cuts**

In an escalating battle over public broadcasting, PBS and a rural public television station in Minnesota have taken legal action against President Trump following his executive order to eliminate federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The lawsuit contends that Trump’s directive exceeds his presidential authority and infringes upon constitutional safeguards for free speech, specifically targeting PBS based on his disapproval of its news coverage and programming.

"This unprecedented presidential directive attacks PBS and its member stations," the lawsuit claims, stating that the executive order's explicit intent to cut funds due to PBS program content represents blatant viewpoint discrimination. PBS insists that the legal move was critical to preserving editorial independence and the autonomy of local member stations.

Similarly, Lakeland PBS, which serves northern and central Minnesota including some of the state's most impoverished areas, underscores the severe repercussions on local programming. The Minnesota station relies heavily on CPB funding, with 37% of its annual revenue coming from federal grants, which equals a significant portion of its operational budget.

The Trump administration holds a different view, arguing that CPB has been producing content that favors a particular political party, funded by taxpayer money. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields emphasized that the President is exercising his legal authority to implement efficient use of federal funds.

Trump's executive order, announced on May 1st, accuses PBS and NPR of biased news coverage and positions government-backed media funding as outdated in a diverse media environment. The order halts CPB from allocating funds to PBS and NPR while preventing local stations from using federal money for the networks.

Reinforcing this stance, Trump has actively campaigned on social media for the defunding of these entities, labeling them as "radical left 'monsters.'" Concurrent lawsuits by NPR and several Colorado public radio stations parallel the PBS legal action, all asserting that the directive undermines constitutionally protected editorial freedoms.

PBS claims this executive order would strip them of $81 million annually in federal grants, crucial for producing a variety of programs ranging from children's content to documentaries. The impact is even more pronounced for stations like Lakeland PBS, which cannot replace the core PBS programming and services without CPB funds, posing an existential threat to their operation.

The CPB board, tasked with distributing federal funds allocated by Congress, has not complied with the executive order and is also challenging the President over another directive aimed at firing three of its board members. Meanwhile, Congress, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, is anticipated to consider Trump's formal request to rescind $1.1 billion earmarked for public broadcasting, heralding further clashes over public media funding.