U.S. President Donald Trump has secured another win against liberals when he signed an executive order to cut federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The two media outlets has been accused of using public funds to promote lefting agenda and publish bias and unfounded articles.
The order, signed last May, directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to "cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS" and also prohibits CPB recipients from using any federal money to support the two organizations. The Trump administration claims the broadcasters have become purveyors of "left-wing propaganda," and accuses them of violating CPB's mandate to remain nonpartisan.
The White House fact sheet claims that "NPR and PBS receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year," and that they "have fueled partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars, which is highly inappropriate and an improper use of taxpayers' money."
The administration alleges that both organizations promote liberal viewpoints while benefiting from public subsidies. The White House cited internal staffing and editorial decisions at NPR, claiming that 87 registered Democrats and zero Republicans hold editorial roles. It also pointed to NPR's avoidance of terms like "biological sex," its coverage of race and crime, and its decision not to report initially on the Hunter Biden laptop story.
The fact sheet further claims that NPR "refused to cover" the Hunter Biden story and "repeatedly insisted COVID-19 did not originate in a lab," despite later assessments by federal agencies. It also criticizes NPR for running a Valentine's Day feature on "queer animals" and for describing its diversity and inclusion policies as integral to content production.
PBS was similarly targeted for programming decisions. The White House claims PBS aired a drag queen named Lil Miss Hot Mess on a show "meant for kids ages 3-8" and a documentary celebrating a transgender teen's transition. It also claims that over a six-month span, "PBS NewsHour used versions of the term 'far-right' 162 times, but 'far-left' only 6 times."
The executive action follows a long-running conservative push to defund public media. In April 2024, Trump publicly demanded the defunding of NPR following a critical op-ed by longtime NPR editor Uri Berliner.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM! EDITOR SAID THEY HAVE NO REPUBLICANS, AND IS ONLY USED TO 'DAMAGE TRUMP.' THEY ARE A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE. NOT ONE DOLLAR!!!"
On 22 July, the editor-in-chief of NPR announced her resignation, soon after the Republican-controlled Congress voted to cut millions in funding for the public broadcaster.
In an email sent to employees, NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher said Edith Chapin had informed her of her intention to leave before the funding cuts were formally made.
Backed by US President Trump, Congress last week approved US$ 1.1 billion in cuts to funds allocated for the CPB.
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