Federal judges halted two actions ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
A federal judge in the District of Columbia ruled that Trump’s decree removing federal funding for the public‑broadcasting network NPR and the public broadcaster PBS was “unlawful and unenforceable”. He argued the order plainly violated the broadcasters’ right to free expression, noting that the First Amendment sets a boundary governments cannot overstep when using state power- including budgetary authority-to punish or suppress others’ speech. The exact outcomes of the ruling were initially unclear.
In the same court, a separate decision ordered the halt of construction work in the White House’s Oval Office ballroom “until Congress authorizes its completion”. Judge Richard Leon noted that while the president administers the White House, he does not own it, and he also announced a 14‑day stay on the injunction’s enforcement, citing the expectation that the administration would file an appeal immediately.