In a sweeping late-night move, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that eliminates federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), citing concerns about media bias and the relevance of government-subsidized news in the current media landscape.
The order mandates the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which distributes federal funds to public media outlets, to halt all direct and indirect funding to NPR and PBS. “Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence,” Trump stated in the order.
CPB has until June 30 to comply with the directive, which includes terminating funding channels not only directly to NPR and PBS but also indirectly through grants to licensees, permittees, and affiliated entities.
NPR and PBS, long viewed by conservative critics as left-leaning, receive a modest portion of their operating budgets from the CPB. According to NPR, only about 1% of its funding comes directly from the CPB, though local stations rely more heavily — around 10% for NPR stations and 15% for PBS affiliates.
Despite the cuts, both outlets are expected to continue operations through diverse funding sources including donations, sponsorships, and foundation grants.
The executive order follows a March post by Trump on Truth Social demanding that Congress immediately defund NPR and PBS, calling them “horrible and completely biased platforms.”
The White House justified the move by arguing that tax dollars should not support media entities that fail to maintain political neutrality. The administration also framed NPR and PBS content as potentially acting as “in-kind contributions” to the Democratic Party, in violation of CPB’s nonpartisan mandate.
Furthermore, Trump instructed all federal agencies to audit and terminate any funding tied to the two broadcasters. He also tasked Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with investigating whether NPR and PBS comply with federal nondiscrimination statutes in employment. Noncompliance could lead to further federal penalties.
This executive order marks one of the most significant efforts by the Trump administration to reshape public media funding and oversight.
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