Thu May 08 17:20:00 UTC 2025: **Trump Signs Executive Order Defunding PBS and NPR**
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday eliminating federal funding for PBS and NPR, citing alleged bias in their reporting. The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and other federal agencies to cease all funding and actively work to eliminate indirect public financing for the news organizations. The White House accused the broadcasters of using taxpayer money to disseminate “radical, woke propaganda.”
This action is the latest in a series of attempts by the Trump administration to exert control over institutions it deems critical. The administration has previously removed leaders, suspended staff, and cut funding to various organizations including artists, libraries, museums, and universities, often targeting those with diversity programs or viewpoints the president opposes.
PBS and NPR receive approximately half a billion dollars annually in public funding through the CPB. PBS CEO Paula Kerger has previously stated that eliminating this funding would disrupt essential services provided to the American public. The CPB itself recently sued Trump over his dismissal of board members, arguing it exceeded his authority.
The White House had previously indicated it would request Congress to rescind CPB funding as part of a larger $9.1 billion budget cut proposal. While this proposal has yet to be submitted to Congress, the executive order represents a more immediate and direct action to defund the public broadcasters. The move follows similar efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which have faced legal challenges. This is a developing story.
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