Trump defunding of NPR and PBS blocked by judge, but damage is already done

That's what angers me the most. He has done so much harm to every aspect of this country so quickly that when going through the proper channels and procedures to get the official verdict it's too late, the damage is already done.

A federal judge ruled that President Trump’s executive order defunding NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment and issued a permanent injunction stating that executive branch agencies cannot enforce it. The Trump order’s “instruction that all federal agencies stop funding NPR and PBS constitutes a penalty for engaging in speech disfavored by the President and cannot be lawfully implemented by any executive department or agency,” Judge Randolph Moss, an Obama appointee in US District Court for the District of Columbia, ruled yesterday. The ruling against Trump in the case filed by NPR, PBS, and several stations may not have much practical impact. Trump’s May 2025 executive order was followed by Congress rescinding the entire Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) budget of $1.1 billion for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. The CPB voted to dissolve itself in January 2026 after distributing all remaining funds provided by Congress. NPR, PBS, and member stations continue to operate with other funding sources but had to make budget cuts. Federal agencies could cite yesterday’s court ruling in future actions to fund public media, but that’s unlikely to happen under the Trump administration. Full article: [https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/trump-defunding-of-npr-and-pbs-blocked-by-judge-but-damage-is-already-done/](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/04/trump-defunding-of-npr-and-pbs-blocked-by-judge-but-damage-is-already-done/)

I've said before, something needs to change with our court system. Like a 2 tier system. Government cases get 30-60 day court dates. Like headline says , Damage done, because it took a yr to rule on. It's happened many times so far with trump firing people , closing departments and agency's, etc etc .

NPR normalized the alt-right so I don’t mind seeing them go down the drain but PBS and their Sesame Street and Mr Roger’s is simply an irreplaceable American gem.