Judge blocks Trump's NPR/PBS defunding order

A federal judge has ruled that President Trump's executive order to defund NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment, issuing a permanent injunction against its enforcement. While the ruling may have limited practical impact due to subsequent congressional budget cuts, it affirms that federal agencies cannot penalize entities for speech disfavored by the President. The judge noted that the order constituted viewpoint discrimination, which is unconstitutional. Despite the ruling, the White House criticized the decision, asserting that public broadcasters have no right to taxpayer funds and that Congress already voted to eliminate their funding.