President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to slash taxpayer funds to PBS and NPR, two media outlets the White House accused of spreading “radical woke propaganda.”
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS.” It further requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations.
“[President Trump] just signed an executive order ENDING the taxpayer subsidization of NPR and PBS – which receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news,’” the White House posted in a statement on X.
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The broadcasters get roughly half a billion dollars in public money through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and have been preparing for the possibility of stiff cuts since Trump’s re-election.
PBS’ CEO and president Paula Kerger said last month that the Trump administration’s effort to rescind funding for public media 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.”
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued Trump earlier this week over his move to fire three members of its five-person board, contending that the president was exceeding his authority and that the move would deprive the board of a quorum needed to conduct business.
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Thursday’s move against PBS and NPR comes as his administration has been working to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which were designed to model independent news gathering globally in societies that restrict the press.
Those efforts have faced pushback from federal courts, which have ruled in some cases that the Trump administration may have overstepped its authority in holding back funds appropriated to the outlets by Congress.
A spokesperson NPR told Fox News Digital that the organization has, for more than half a century, been collaborating with “local nonprofit public media organizations to fill critical needs for news and information in America’s communities.”
“NPR’s editorial practices and decision-making are independent and free from outside influence, inclusive of any individual or commercial interest or political party,” the spokesperson said. “Millions of Americans depend on NPR Member stations for rigorous, fact-based, public service journalism that helps them stay informed about their communities and the world. Federal funding is essential to the work of public media and all public media stations.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to NPR for a response to Trump’s executive order.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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