Trump’s Order to Defund PBS Ruled Illegal

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Despite a recent attempt to cut its funding, public broadcasting station PBS has won a legal victory. A federal judge ruled that President Trump’s 2025 executive order to defund PBS – the network behind shows like Sesame Street and PBS NewsHour – was unconstitutional and violated the First Amendment rights to free speech.

A federal judge ruled on Tuesday, March 31st, that former President Trump’s attempt to cut funding for public media organizations like PBS and NPR was illegal.

The judge also slammed Trump’s order as a form of “viewpoint discrimination and retaliation.”

As a real movie buff, I was struck by how clearly this ruling showed the government was going after opinions the President disagreed with and wanted to silence. Judge Moss really hit the nail on the head – it was pretty blatant, honestly.

The judge explained that while the government can sometimes legally withhold funds, using funding to penalize private speech they disagree with is not acceptable.

The court found that Trump’s order cut off funding for public media without considering how those funds were actually used. This included vital services like maintaining the technology that supports public radio and television, protecting journalists in dangerous areas, running the emergency broadcast system, and creating educational content like children’s shows and documentaries.

Judge Moss issued an order preventing Trump and federal agencies from cutting off funding to PBS and NPR.

In a statement following the ruling, PBS said they were “thrilled” with the decision.

PBS stated that the executive order clearly violates the First Amendment by unfairly targeting specific viewpoints and punishing those who express them – a ruling also made by Judge Moss. The organization affirmed its continued commitment to fulfilling its core mission of educating and inspiring all Americans, maintaining its role as a trusted source of information.

The White House disagreed with the decision. A spokesperson for President Trump told Variety that they considered it “a ridiculous ruling by an activist judge trying to go against the law.”

According to a statement, the Trump Administration believes that NPR and PBS should not receive government funding, and they are confident that Congress will ultimately agree, as a vote to cut their funding has already taken place.

On May 1, 2025, Donald Trump signed an order to stop federal funding for news organizations he considered biased, singling out PBS and NPR.

I was shocked to read the directive ordering the CPB to cut funding for PBS and NPR. It claimed they weren’t offering fair or unbiased news to people who pay taxes, and I just can’t believe that’s a fair assessment. It feels like a real attack on independent journalism, and I’m worried about what this means for access to reliable information.

NPR and PBS filed lawsuits against Trump after his executive order slashed funding, leading to significant layoffs at PBS Kids due to the loss of money for children’s programs.

In early 2026, the CPB closed down permanently after Congress passed the Rescissions Act of 2025. This act cancelled over $1 billion in funding that had been promised to the CPB for 2026 and 2027.

Graded VHS Tapes Worth Huge Amounts of Money

National Lampoon’s European Vacation

This comic book received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and sold for $500.00. Generally, collectors are most interested in comics they loved as children. The most valuable comics tend to be those from the 1980s and 1990s, triggering strong nostalgic feelings. A good example is the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, including the 1985 movie European Vacation.

Explorers

As a big fan of 80s movies, I was really happy to see a copy of Explorers sell for $500 in CGC 9.4 condition! It’s not a blockbuster everyone remembers, but if you grew up with it on VHS – like I did – you probably watched it over and over. And honestly, for a near-perfect copy, that price doesn’t seem bad at all. Nostalgia definitely plays a part, and it’s great to see this movie getting some recognition.

The Terminator

This VHS copy of The Terminator received a grade of 9.8 from CGC and sold for $519.99. Considering the film’s huge popularity and lasting impact in the 1980s, that price seems like a great deal.

Return of the Jedi

This copy of Return of the Jedi received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $552.49. A key factor in its value is the strong collector base for Star Wars memorabilia. Because so many people collect items from the film, there’s high demand for original VHS copies, like this CBS/Fox release from the mid-1980s.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship: The Beginning

This VHS tape of the very first UFC pay-per-view event recently sold for $600. With the growing popularity of sports memorabilia, it’s a piece of history that collectors are eager to own. It received a grade of CGC 9.4.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

This VHS tape received a grade of 9.4 and sold for $700.00. Generally, horror tapes consistently fetch the highest prices on eBay. There’s a strong connection between horror fans and VHS – likely because the format was key to introducing many 80s kids to the genre, especially films they weren’t old enough to see in theaters. Graded tapes from franchises like A Nightmare on Elm Street are particularly sought after.

The Empire Strikes Back

This copy of The Empire Strikes Back graded 9.4 sold for $750. It’s not surprising it fetched a higher price than Return of the Jedi – most collectors would prefer The Empire Strikes Back and are willing to pay more for it. For example, a copy of Return of the Jedi might sell for $550, while this Empire Strikes Back copy went for $750.

Over the Top

This particular sale is a bit unexpected. Sylvester Stallone was a huge star in the 80s, and his movies were popular rentals. However, Over the Top – the film where he competes in arm wrestling to gain custody of his son – isn’t considered one of his best. Films like Rocky IV and Rambo: First Blood Part II would make more sense as collector’s items. Paying $750 for a professionally graded copy of Over the Top seems… well, a little surprising, to say the least. I’m still searching for the right way to describe it!

The Wizard

This Nintendo game, graded at 9.4, recently sold for $850. Like classic VHS tapes, vintage Nintendo games, especially sealed and graded ones, are becoming highly sought after by collectors. Given that a perfect copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 can sell for thousands, it’s not surprising someone would spend $850 on The Wizard, a popular kids’ movie from the late 1980s that featured Nintendo.

Star Wars

This VHS copy of The Empire Strikes Back received a grade of 9.4 and sold for $868.00. It’s interesting that copies of this film are more valuable than Return of the Jedi, suggesting Star Wars tapes are also more valuable. Plus, being able to actually watch the movie after opening the sealed box might just be worth the price tag!

Halloween II

This copy of Halloween II received a grade of CGC 9.6 and sold for $900. While sequels are usually worth less than original vintage VHS tapes, certain horror sequels can still be quite valuable, and this copy clearly appealed to a dedicated fan.

Predator

This copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Predator comic book received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and sold for $950.00. I was the one who bought it – a nearly perfect condition copy cost me almost a thousand dollars! (Please don’t tell my wife; I’d like to avoid a divorce.)

Back to the Future

This copy of Back to the Future graded 9.6 by CGC recently sold for $1,150.00. It’s described as an “early print red MCA copy,” and there are different editions of this and other VHS tapes that collectors seek out for their rarity. Researching those variations can be a deep dive, but it’s something I don’t have time for right now!

Halloween

This VHS copy of Halloween received a grade of 9.2 from CGC and sold for $1,249.99. Before researching collectible VHS tapes, I would have predicted Halloween would be highly sought after. It’s a timeless classic, a cornerstone of the slasher genre, and was released early in the VHS format, meaning first-edition copies are likely rare – and I was correct.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

This comic book received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $1,282.00. It’s a popular collectible, as evidenced by the demand from collectors and the high price it commands. The rhyme playfully highlights the increasing value of Freddy Krueger memorabilia.

The Matrix

Wow, I just saw a copy of The Matrix VHS graded at 9.8 sell for $1,425! It’s amazing because most of the really hot VHS tapes being sold right now are from earlier than 1999. But that’s what makes this one so special – by the time The Matrix came out, VHS tapes were already becoming rare! It means there just weren’t as many copies made to begin with. Plus, there’s this cool idea going around that in the movie’s future, only analog copies like this one would even work after the machines take over! It’s a really cool piece of movie history.

Jaws

As a lifelong movie fan, I’ve been watching the market, and it feels like certain films are just destined to become valuable collectibles. Take Jaws, for example – it’s historically significant, a true horror classic, and those first VHS tapes are now over 40 years old! I thought I was being smart picking up some of my childhood favorites, but it’s getting harder and harder to find affordable copies. This particular copy graded a 9.6 and recently sold for $1,500. It’s a little scary, honestly – just when you think it’s safe to start collecting…

Friday the 13th

This copy graded out at VGA 85+, and it sold for a cool $1,691. Now, it’s a Betamax tape, not VHS, which is a bit of a wrinkle since working Betamax players are practically impossible to find. But honestly, nobody’s dropping that kind of cash just to watch Friday the 13th. This is about owning a piece of classic slasher movie history, a real collector’s item!

Transformers: The Movie

This copy of the original Transformers movie received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and recently sold for $1,725 on eBay. While the movie was a bit scary for me as a child, it’s clear that dedicated Transformers fans are willing to pay a premium for collectibles like this one.

Pokémon: The First Movie

This copy of Pokémon: The First Movie on VHS recently sold for $1,750.00. It received a near-perfect grade of 9.8 from CGC, making it the most expensive VHS tape I could find on eBay. Considering how much early Pokémon cards are selling for – one Pikachu card recently went for over $16.4 million – it makes sense that the VHS tapes are also becoming highly sought after.

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2026-04-01 02:29