Trump signs executive order defunding NPR and PBS

• President Donald Trump signed an order on May 1 to end federal funding for NPR and PBS, escalating his long-standing push to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which distributes $535 million annually to public media.
• The order cites partisan bias in NPR and PBS, including NPR‘s 87:0 Democrat-leaning staff ratio, disproportionate Republican coverage (7:1) and downplaying of stories like Hunter Biden’s laptop. PBS is accused of framing GOP policies as “far-right” while avoiding “far-left” labels.
• Key defunding measures, include immediate cessation of direct federal funding to NPR/PBS, blocking indirect subsidies via CPB-backed local stations, FCC investigation into alleged bias and discrimination and HHS review of employment practices under RFK Jr.
• Both networks vowed to challenge the order in court, calling it an attack on public service journalism. PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR‘s Katherine Maher condemned the move as unlawful and threatened litigation.
• The order reflects Trump’s years-long effort to cut CPB funding (proposed in 2017, 2019 budgets), framing public media as politically skewed, while opponents argue it undermines educational and emergency broadcasting.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order halting federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), escalating his years-long campaign against the public broadcasters, which he and Republican allies accuse of political bias.

The order, signed on May 1, directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) board, the primary federal entity that funnels millions in taxpayer money to these organizations annually, to terminate direct funding for NPR and PBS “to the maximum extent allowed by law” and to “decline to provide future funding.”

The CPB distributes $535 million in taxpayer funding annually to support public radio and television stations, as well as educational and cultural programming. In turn, stations like NPR and PBS should provide free and universal access to news, emergency alerts and diverse programming that serves the public interest.

However, Trump argued that NPR and PBS exhibit a pronounced liberal bias despite their claims of neutrality. Evidence includes the overwhelming Democratic staff affiliation (87 Democrats, zero Republicans in one survey) of NPR and instances of editorial imbalance, such as downplaying the Hunter Biden laptop story and initially dismissing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) lab leak theory. NPR‘s coverage also disproportionately features Republican voices (7:1 ratio) while underrepresenting opposition to movements like the Tea Party.

PBS, on the other hand, has been accused of partisan framing, frequently labeling Republican policies as “far-right” while rarely using “far-left” and airing progressive-aligned children’s content. Additionally, NPR‘s support for DEI initiatives, defense of looting as “reparations” and establishment of a “Disinformation Reporting Team” in 2022 have fueled perceptions of institutional bias, reinforcing claims that public broadcasting skews left.

Key provisions to enforce this defunding include the immediate cessation of federal support to NPR and PBS (to the extent allowed by law), blocking indirect subsidies through CPB-funded local stations and mandating CPB policy revisions to prohibit such funding. Additionally, federal agencies are directed to terminate existing contracts with NPR and PBS, while the FCC is instructed to investigate potential unlawful discrimination or partisan bias by these organizations. (Related: FCC chairman launches investigation into NPR and PBS over alleged commercial violations.)

Beyond defunding, the order also directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate NPR and PBS for possible employment discrimination. Additionally, it instructs all federal agencies to identify and cut off any indirect funding to the networks.

PBS and NPR CEOs vow to take legal action against the administration

PBS CEO Paula Kerger condemned the executive order, calling it a threat to the network’s mission.

“The President’s blatantly unlawful Executive Order, issued in the middle of the night, threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming, as we have for the past 50-plus years,” Kerger said in a statement the next morning, Friday. “We are currently exploring all options to allow PBS to continue to serve our member stations and all Americans.”

NPR echoed a similar statement and signaled it may take legal action against the administration.

“We will vigorously defend our right to provide essential news, information and life-saving services to the American public. We will challenge this executive order using all means available,” said NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher.

All this, despite the evidence of their biased journalism.

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Sources include:

JusttheNews.com

WhiteHouse.gov

CNN.com

NPR.org

Brighteon.com