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By Sophie Clark
Live News Reporter
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President Donald Trump faced a trio of legal and institutional challenges as well as pushbacks to his agenda on Tuesday.
Courts ruled against his administration's attempt to remove funding for an international broadcaster and to defund a volunteer program that saves American lives. They also temporarily blocked his attempt to fire public broadcast board members appointed by President Joe Biden.
The cases are predicated on whether the president can unilaterally remove funds for federal organizations and remove appointees whom he disagrees with politically.
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Newsweek has contacted AmeriCorps, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Radio Free Europe via email for comment.
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Why It Matters
On Tuesday the courts ruled, not for the first time, that Trump does not have the right to withhold funds appropriated by Congress. A court also temporarily blocked his attempt to remove Democratic media voices amid fears of White House crackdowns on "unfriendly" media.
Much of the federal funding argument stems from actions taken by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has proved unpopular in Republican and Democratic districts.
What To Know
On April 29, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) filed a lawsuit after the White House attempted to dismiss three of its board members. The same day, 24 states and the District of Columbia challenged the administration's significant cuts to AmeriCorps.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty officials also received a judgment in their case regarding delayed federal funding for April, which Congress approved but the Trump administration has not released.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Lawsuit
The CPB filed a lawsuit in federal court after the Trump administration sought to remove board members Laura Ross, Thomas Rothman and Diane Kaplan.
The members were nominated by Biden and their six-year terms were confirmed by the Senate, The New York Times reported.
Despite this, the three board members received letters from the Trump administration that said: "I am writing to inform you that your position on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service." The plaintiffs say this is a violation of their terms.
The CPB, which oversees public broadcasting entities such as NPR and PBS, has asked a judge to block the administration's actions, arguing that the president does not have the authority to dismiss members at will.
The case is set up for a hearing on May 14 and a judge has ruled that the board members cannot be fired between April 29 and the hearing. The case is part of a wider push by the Trump administration to remove federal workers who are not politically aligned with the president.
The administration has said it asked the U.S. Supreme Court to remove Humphrey's Executor, the precedent that makes it illegal for the president to remove federal independent agency workers based on their political beliefs.
AmeriCorps Lawsuit
A coalition of Democratic-led states has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Maryland challenging the administration's recent cutbacks to AmeriCorps.
AmeriCorps is a volunteer-led organization whose members work across a wide range of community needs, ranging from being on the frontlines of disaster aid, to distributing food to seniors in need, to running after-school programs.
Since taking office in January, the administration has canceled grant awards and begun reducing staffing at the national service and volunteering agency by 85 percent, Reuters reported.
The White House has said it has the right to dismantle the program as, according to its calculations, AmeriCorps spent more than $45 million improperly in 2024.
Plaintiffs for AmeriCorps argue that "AmeriCorps volunteers bring out the best in America and in our communities," and that removal of these funds "will rip vital support away from our veterans, seniors, students, and families recovering from disaster."
A spokesperson for the California Attorney General's office told Newsweek that removing AmeriCorps funding would jeopardize the future of programs including Prevent Child Abuse California, Partnership for Veterans and People Experiencing Homeless, and Reading Partners California.
They also argue that AmeriCorps is paid for with funds authorized by Congress, and the White House cannot remove them without congressional repeal.
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Radio Free Europe Funding
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth, a Reagan appointee who has clashed with the Trump administration, ordered the government to release $12 million in congressionally approved funds to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
In March, Trump issued an executive order to cut funding to the United States Agency for Global Media, which oversees the broadcaster and all other all U.S. government foreign media.
Funding for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which is based in Prague, had been included in a congressionally approved budget that runs through September. The Trump administration is now compelled to restore the budget.
What People Are Saying
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is suing the Trump administration over AmeriCorps: "AmeriCorps volunteers bring out the best in America and in our communities. By abruptly canceling critical grants and gutting AmeriCorps' workforce and volunteers, DOGE is dismantling AmeriCorps without any concern for the thousands of people who are ready and eager to serve their country—or for those whose communities are stronger because of this public service."
A spokesperson for the California Attorney General's office told Newsweek: "By slashing AmeriCorps funding, the Trump Administration is effectively ending states' abilities to support a substantial number of AmeriCorps programs within their borders, including securing volunteers and securing enough funding for programs to continue."
A spokesperson for Maryland Attorney General's office told Newsweek: "We expect all branches of government, including the executive branch, to respect the constitutional authority of our courts, and should that not occur, my office stands ready to use every legal tool at our disposal to uphold the rule of law and protect Marylanders."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Reuters about the AmeriCorps suit: "President Trump has the legal right to restore accountability to the entire executive branch."
What Happens Next
Trump has signed more than 140 executive orders in the first 100 days of his second term and further legal challenges are expected.
Update, 05/01/25, 6:57 am ET: This story was updated to include comment from the offices of the California and Maryland attorneys general.
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