US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at stripping public funding from NPR and PBS, calling the two public broadcasters “biased” and “woke”.
The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — which receives over $500 million annually from Congress — to “cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law” and avoid future financial support for NPR and PBS.
“Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter,” the order states.
“What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens,” the order added.
In a social media post announcing the move, the White House claimed the broadcasters use “millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.’”
“NPR and PBS have fueled partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars, which is highly inappropriate and an improper use of taxpayers’ money, as President Trump has stated,” the statement added.
Federal funding currently makes up about 15% of PBS’s revenue and 1% of NPR’s. While PBS produces a range of content, NPR primarily focuses on news and public affairs, according to Politico.
The decision is expected to face legal challenges. Federal courts have previously ruled against the Trump administration when it attempted to withhold funds from other congressionally supported media organizations like Voice of America.
In March, leaders from NPR and PBS defended their funding before the House Committee on Government Efficiency (DOGE).
NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher emphasised the organization’s editorial independence and asked lawmakers to continue their support. “Give us the opportunity to continue to serve the American people with this unique and vital resource,” she said.
According to the Associated Press, in a public announcement during the previous month, PBS CEO Paula Kerger echoed those concerns, warning that many local stations “would not exist” without federal funding. She emphasised that such actions would “disrupt the essential service PBS and local member stations provide to the American people.”
“There’s nothing more American than PBS, and our work is only possible because of the bipartisan support we have always received from Congress,” she said.
“This public-private partnership allows us to help prepare millions of children for success in school and in life, and also supports enriching and inspiring programs of the highest quality,” she added.
The executive order is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to target publicly funded media, including the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America and Radio Free Europe. Those moves have also faced strong legal and political resistance.
