President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to eliminate federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), two major pillars of publicly funded media in the U.S. Framed as a response to perceived political bias, the order—signed Thursday and titled Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media—directs the cessation of all direct and indirect federal support for NPR and PBS. It also mandates that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting revise its funding guidelines to block financial assistance to both organizations.
“When the CPB was created in 1967, the media environment was vastly different,” the order states. “Today’s landscape offers a wide array of diverse and innovative news sources. In this context, government funding for news outlets is not only outdated and unnecessary, but also undermines the perception of journalistic independence. At a minimum, taxpayers deserve assurance that any public broadcasting their dollars support delivers fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan reporting.”
What Are PBS and NPR?
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio) are nonprofit media organizations that provide educational, cultural, and news programming to American audiences. They are widely regarded as cornerstones of public media in the United States. Both receive partial funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), an independent nonprofit established by Congress through the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.
Founded in 1969, PBS is known for acclaimed programs like PBS NewsHour, Frontline, Sesame Street, and Nova, broadcasting through a network of over 330 member television stations.
NPR, launched in 1970, distributes nationally syndicated content such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Planet Money, reaching audiences via more than 1,300 stations operated by its 246 member institutions.
How Much Government Funding Do They Receive?
NPR receives about 1% of its revenue directly from federal sources. Its member stations, however, rely more heavily on federal support—receiving roughly 8% to 10% of their funding through CPB grants.
PBS receives around 15% of its funding from federal sources, amounting to approximately $1.40 per taxpayer annually, according to the organization.
Why Is Trump Targeting NPR and PBS?
A fact sheet released with the executive order accuses NPR and PBS of promoting “partisanship and left-wing propaganda” with taxpayer funding. It also criticizes NPR’s internal political makeup and editorial positions on topics such as transgender rights, the COVID-19 pandemic, and coverage of Hunter Biden.
In an April social media post, Trump wrote:
“REPUBLICANS MUST DEFUND AND TOTALLY DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM NPR & PBS, THE RADICAL LEFT ‘MONSTERS’ THAT SO BADLY HURT OUR COUNTRY!”
The administration argues that taxpayer-funded media skews public discourse by amplifying liberal viewpoints and undermines the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s legal requirement to remain nonpartisan.
How Have NPR and PBS Responded?
Both organizations have strongly rejected the order.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher pledged to fight back using “all means available,” calling the move a threat to free expression:
“America’s founders understood that an informed public is the foundation of a functioning democracy. That mission is at the core of NPR’s work,” she said.
“This executive order is an affront to the First Amendment rights of NPR and to the local, independent stations that serve communities across the country.”
PBS and CPB Push Back
PBS CEO Paula Kerger underscored the vital role public broadcasting plays in reaching underserved communities, warning that the executive order jeopardizes decades of public service:
“This action threatens our ability to continue delivering educational programming to the American people—something we’ve proudly done for over 50 years,” she said.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) also voiced strong opposition, expressing “deep concern” over the potential impact of defunding. In a statement, the CPB cautioned that the move could “cripple local stations and significantly limit access to free, high-quality content—especially for rural and low-income Americans who rely most on public broadcasting.”
CPB CEO Responds to Presidential Interference
CPB CEO Patricia Harrison rejected the president’s attempts to intervene in the organization’s operations.
“CPB is not a federal executive agency and is not subject to the President’s authority. Congress specifically authorized and funded CPB as a private nonprofit corporation, independent of the federal government,” Harrison stated in a press release.
What Happens Next?
Legal challenges are expected, particularly since federal law mandates that CPB funding be appropriated by Congress two years in advance. As a result, any changes to the 2025 funding rules could face significant procedural and legal hurdles, especially if Congress chooses to step in and challenge the executive order.
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