In a landmark decision that reverberated across the nation this week, Aspen Public Radio (APR) and its co-plaintiffs scored a major First Amendment victory, as a federal judge struck down President Trump’s 2025 executive order that sought to bar federal funding for NPR and PBS. The case, which unfolded in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, marked the only lawsuit of its kind in the country and underscored the enduring tension between government power and press freedom.
Judge Randolph D. Moss delivered the ruling on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, permanently blocking the Trump administration from implementing Executive Order 14290—officially titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media.” The executive order, issued on May 1, 2025, had directed all federal agencies, including the now defunct Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Education, and the National Endowment for the Arts, to withhold federal funds from NPR. The administration justified the order by labeling NPR’s reporting as "biased."
APR, along with Colorado Public Radio (CPR), KSUT Public Radio, and NPR, filed the lawsuit on May 27, 2025, arguing that the executive order violated the First Amendment by targeting public media for its editorial choices. The case, National Public Radio, Inc. v. Trump, put Colorado’s public radio ecosystem in the national spotlight. As Breeze Richardson, APR’s Executive Director, explained, "We are the national case. This demonstrates how we didn’t just roll over and let democracy be taken from us. It validates and justifies our truth in having First Amendment rights that protect a free press."
Judge Moss’s ruling was unequivocal. Declaring the executive order "unlawful and unenforceable," he wrote, "the First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power—including the power of the purse—‘to punish or suppress disfavored expression’ by others." According to the Aspen Daily News, Moss further stated, "It is difficult to conceive of clearer evidence that a government action is targeted at viewpoints that the President does not like and seeks to squelch."
The legal team representing APR included First Amendment attorney Steve Zansberg and APR’s own attorney, Karl Hanlon. Hanlon emphasized the stakes, noting, "Aspen Public Radio took a huge risk to stand up for what has always been a core value in Colorado, an independent and free press. Today’s ruling affirms that government has no role in controlling or punishing independent reporting it does not believe in."
For the plaintiffs, the outcome was not just a local win, but a national affirmation of journalistic independence. NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher, in a letter to public radio organizations, stated, "The court affirmed what we have argued from the beginning: the government cannot use the power of the purse to punish the press or suppress viewpoints it dislikes. This ruling protects the editorial independence that is the bedrock of our service and of public media. It affirms our right to report in service of the public interest and the American people."
Still, the victory is bittersweet. The ruling does not restore federal funding to NPR, APR, or their peers—funding that was separately rescinded by Congress through the Rescissions Act of 2025. Passed in July 2025, the Act removed $9.4 billion in unobligated funds, including those earmarked for the CPB. For APR, this meant losing an estimated $154,000 in 2025 and another $210,000 in 2026, amounting to over 10% of its annual budget. "It effectively changes nothing," Richardson told The Aspen Times, regarding the station’s immediate finances. "The ruling today does not restore previously rescinded funding from the CPB, but does prevent the executive order from restricting Aspen Public Radio and other stations from using any federal funds to acquire NPR content, and allows for any federal agency, including those listed above, to direct funds towards NPR and PBS."
Despite the financial setback, the community stepped up. In December, APR’s supporters exceeded the station’s $500,000 Resiliency Fund goal, raising $640,646 to offset the shortfall. "Thanks to this community, Aspen Public Radio continues to receive unprecedented levels of funding from members, which will be required to keep the station reporting on the news we need and providing the emergency broadcasting services we all rely on," said Nicholas Bowen, chair of the Aspen Public Radio Board of Directors, in a press release.
APR’s essential role in its community was made clear during recent emergencies. In June 2025, a wildfire caused a utility outage that knocked out both internet and cell service in Pitkin County. APR, however, remained on the air, providing critical updates. "This radio station is the only public broadcasting station in Pitkin County," Richardson said. "Last June, there was a wildfire that caused a utility outage. The internet was down. Cell service was down. People were unable to receive emergency alerts on their phones. But APR was still on air, letting people know what was happening."
APR’s broadcast footprint stretches from Aspen to Glenwood Springs, Eagle, and Rifle, and its staff are trained for breaking news and emergency communications—maintaining 24/7 reporter coverage, even on holidays and weekends. In a recent survey, 85% of respondents said they would turn to APR for information during a wildfire. "And that’s all I need," Richardson said. "We are accountable to the people we serve."
CPR CEO Stewart Vanderwilt testified before Congress in February, highlighting the broad reach and public service of Colorado’s public radio stations. "Colorado Public Radio operates three distinct radio services, across 52 frequencies broadcasting from 33 tower sites and reaches over 90% of the population of the state," Vanderwilt said. "In addition to Colorado Public Radio, there are more than a dozen independent, locally owned and staffed public radio stations in Colorado ranging from urban settings like Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs to rural communities such as the San Luis Valley, mountain communities like the Roaring Fork Valley and over 20,000 square miles of Tribal land in the Four Corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Because of its reach and low barriers to use, broadcast radio is one of the most democratized of communication systems."
The ruling has opened the door for federal partnerships in the future. As Richardson pointed out, agencies like FEMA may one day want to use APR’s infrastructure for emergency communications. Or perhaps a future Congress will decide to restore funding to public radio. In the meantime, conversations are ongoing about sustaining public broadcasting without federal support, with an increased focus on state, local, and listener funding.
While the Trump administration may still appeal the decision, Richardson remains resolute. "(Tuesday’s) ruling sends a clear message that we answer to those we serve, not those in power." For now, APR and its listeners are celebrating a victory for press freedom—one that may echo far beyond the Rockies for years to come.