President Trump cuts off taxpayer dollars to NPR and PBS with an executive order that accuses the public broadcasters of partisan bias and outdated relevance in today’s diverse media landscape.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump signed an executive order ending federal funding for NPR and PBS, citing political bias and partisan reporting.
- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is directed to immediately cease distributing federal funds to these organizations.
- Congress allocated $535 million for public broadcasting this fiscal year, with PBS receiving about 15% of its funding from federal sources.
- The order affects multiple funding sources including the Department of Education and National Endowment for the Humanities.
- Rural and small-market stations are expected to be most severely impacted by the funding cuts.
Trump Takes Aim at Public Broadcasting
President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing an immediate end to federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The order, announced through the White House and the “Rapid Response 47” account associated with Trump’s team, specifically targets what the administration describes as biased and partisan news coverage by these federally subsidized media organizations.
The executive order states unequivocally: “Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to tax-paying citizens.” The document further argues that government funding of media is outdated in today’s diverse media landscape, making taxpayer subsidization unnecessary.
🚨 BREAKING: @POTUS just signed an executive order ENDING the taxpayer subsidization of NPR and PBS — which receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as “news.”
Here is the text of the order:
By the authority vested in me as President by the…
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 2, 2025
Financial Impact and Implementation
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which manages federal funding for public media, received $535 million from Congress for the current fiscal year. Under the new order, the CPB is directed to cease distributing these funds to NPR and PBS. The order also extends beyond the CPB, targeting additional funding streams through the Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
NPR receives approximately 1% of its funding directly from federal sources, while PBS receives about 15%. However, both organizations have warned that small and rural stations, which rely more heavily on federal dollars, could face severe operational challenges. These local stations provide educational content and emergency communications services to communities across the nation.
Legal Challenges and Board Disputes
The Trump administration had previously attempted to remove three board members of the CPB appointed by the Biden administration, including Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR. This move was challenged in court, with federal judges ruling against some of Trump’s earlier efforts to defund these organizations, citing that funds were already appropriated by Congress.
“I think that it’s important for public media to be able to continue to be relevant in a time where there is a lot of coverage of different issues and areas of interest,” said Katherine Maher.
In anticipation of potential legal challenges, the executive order includes a severability clause, ensuring that if any part is invalidated by courts, the remainder of the order remains effective. The White House has also indicated it plans to request Congress to rescind existing appropriations for these broadcasters.
Broader Media Strategy
This action against NPR and PBS appears to be part of a larger strategy targeting government-funded media outlets. The administration has also been working to defund the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. These international broadcasters, originally established as instruments of American soft power during the Cold War, have similarly come under scrutiny.
Prior to signing the order, President Trump had called for action against public broadcasting on social media, writing in all caps: “REPUBLICANS MUST DEFUND AND TOTALLY DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM NPR & PBS, THE RADICAL LEFT ‘MONSTERS’ THAT SO BADLY HURT OUR COUNTRY!” The executive order now directs the FCC to investigate both broadcasters for potential violations of laws against commercial advertisements.
The order emphasizes that NPR and PBS must comply with anti-discrimination employment laws and encourages them to seek private financial support while adhering to FCC guidelines as they transition away from federal funding.
Sources:
- Trump orders end of NPR’s federal funding. And, judge blocks use of Alien Enemies Act
- Trump seeks to end federal funding for NPR and PBS
- Ending Taxpayer Subsidization Of Biased Media – The White House
