WASHINGTON—In a decisive effort to protect the nation’s public media from the corrupting influence of its own funding, the Trump Administration issued a historic executive order in May, formally ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
Administration officials clarified that the move, which ceases all federal funding for the broadcasters, was not an attack on free speech, but a necessary action to ensure their “journalistic independence” from the government.
“In today’s media landscape, which is filled with abundant and diverse news options, government funding is simply outdated and, frankly, corrosive to the appearance of impartiality,” said a White House policy advisor, explaining the administration's duty to sever the financial ties that could imply a biased relationship. “No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies. We are simply freeing them from the government’s shadow so they can pursue a truly unbiased path.”
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to immediately begin the process of untangling itself from NPR and PBS by ceasing all direct and indirect funding. The CPB Board has been directed to revise its 2025 grant criteria to explicitly prohibit funds from reaching the two organizations, a standard administrative update officials say will bring the CPB’s governing statute into compliance.
“What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens,” the order reads, adding that unless it labels itself as entertainment like Fox News, it is inherently biased. “We’re confident that once they are no longer dependent on federal dollars, their coverage will become more balanced.”
Further instructions mandate that all other executive departments and agencies identify and terminate any outstanding grants or contracts with NPR and PBS to the maximum extent permitted by law. In a final act of bureaucratic oversight, the Secretary of Health and Human Services will also launch a full investigation to determine whether the organizations have complied with federal non-discrimination employment laws, a standard procedure for entities that will no longer be receiving federal support.
The White House assured the public that the sudden removal of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding poses no threat to free speech, as Americans will continue to enjoy access to a media landscape rich with podcasts, cable news, and algorithmically curated social media feeds.
