ACLU Supporter, the Trump administration is gutting public media like PBS and NPR – most recently, to the tune of $1.1 billion of already-approved money that Congress just voted to claw back.

This isn't this administration's first attack on public media.

President Trump issued an executive order to cut all funding to NPR and PBS in clear retaliation for journalism he doesn't agree with – so the ACLU filed amici briefs urging the court to block this order immediately. And when the FCC launched baseless investigations to chill coverage they didn't like, we went to work to stop them and protect the independence of the press.

Punishing news media for publishing content the administration disapproves of isn't just a disturbing attempt to control what the public gets to learn – it's also a serious blow to freedom of the press.

Meanwhile, this most recent move from Congress to take back previously allocated funds from public media will devastate local coverage. This funding goes towards vital work, from warning people in rural areas about natural disasters to teaching generations of children how to read and count.

These are clear attempts to punish and control public media, threatening the independence of these broadcasters. The Trump administration can't cut funds for local TV and radio in retaliation for their perceived ideological leanings.

We'll keep pressuring the courts to block the President's order, fighting in Congress to protect editorial discretion – and we won't let this administration silence our public media.

–The ACLU Team