The Trump administration is turning off the taxpayer-funded spigot to NPR and PBS. According to a draft memo to Congress, the White House is planning to end nearly all federal funding for public media. The proposal targets $1.1 billion currently directed to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR, PBS, and affiliate stations nationwide.
The administration cites years of biased reporting and what it calls radical propaganda being funneled into American homes under the label of “public media.” The move has ignited a wave of debate, with Republicans applauding the shift away from government-backed broadcasting and Democrats defending long-standing public institutions.
The funding cut also comes as NPR and PBS face scrutiny over potential violations of laws banning commercial advertisements. Questions are swirling around whether these publicly funded platforms have crossed the line into monetized promotion—something explicitly prohibited.
While public broadcasting once enjoyed broad bipartisan support, the landscape has changed. In the age of digital streaming, podcasts, and 24/7 access to news, critics are questioning the need for continued government support. They argue that public media no longer serves a neutral public interest, but instead acts as an ideological mouthpiece supported by taxpayer dollars.
The administration’s proposal marks a major turning point in how federal dollars are used to support media. If approved, NPR and PBS will be forced to compete like everyone else—or find a new source of funding. Either way, the days of unquestioned support from Washington may be over.