President Trump issued an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt federal funding for NPR and PBS, the nation’s main public broadcasters. Trump claims that NPR and PBS exhibit a left-wing bias in their news coverage. The funding for these organizations is allocated by Congress.
The executive order is subject to potential legal challenges. According to the order, the specific viewpoints promoted by NPR and PBS are irrelevant; what matters is their alleged failure to present unbiased news to taxpayers.
On social media, Trump criticized NPR and PBS, calling them “radical left monsters” and urging Republicans to defund and distance themselves from these networks.
The executive order directs the CPB and other government agencies to stop both direct and indirect funding of NPR and PBS. It instructs the CPB Board to cancel existing funding to the extent allowed by law and to avoid providing future funding.
NPR’s President and CEO, Katherine Maher, defended the organization’s reporting and emphasized the importance of federal funding in a recent interview on “All Things Considered.” NPR did not immediately comment on the executive order.
In a recent House oversight committee hearing, leaders from NPR and PBS addressed allegations of ideological bias in public broadcasting. Maher faced questions regarding her past social media activity, while PBS’s Paula Kerger was asked about a specific video involving a drag performer, which was hosted by a PBS member station but never aired on television.
Federal funding for public media is managed by the CPB, with Congress allocating $535 million for the current fiscal year. The CPB’s budget is approved by Congress on a two-year cycle to help insulate it from political pressures, with funding ensured through September 30, 2027.
During the hearing, network leaders emphasized their mission to provide nonpartisan news and programming to the public. NPR receives about 1% of its funding directly from the federal government, with a slight increase from CPB indirect funding, while PBS derives about 15% of its revenue from CPB funds. Most public media funding supports local stations and primarily television due to higher costs compared to radio.
Both NPR and PBS have been encouraged to seek private financial support and have worked with the FCC to comply with guidelines. PBS focuses heavily on educational content, while NPR offers news and music, with both networks aiming to serve communities and aid in emergency response systems.
President Trump recently announced plans to remove three of the five CPB board members, prompting a lawsuit against him by the corporation, which cites federal law and a Supreme Court ruling to argue his lack of authority for such actions. The White House has also proposed requesting Congress to rescind funding for NPR and PBS. Furthermore, the FCC is investigating NPR and PBS for potentially violating laws on commercial advertisements through their corporate underwriting spots.
Disclosure: This article was reported by NPR’s Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by NPR’s editorial team, without corporate or executive review prior to publication.
