Trump Directs CPB to Cut Funding for NPR, PBS Nationwide

President Trump has issued an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and federal agencies to cease funding for NPR and PBS, with the aim of eliminating support for what the administration calls 'biased and partisan news coverage.' The order primarily impacts stations that receive CPB funding, potentially threatening the operations of many local public media outlets, especially in rural or underserved communities where these stations are often the primary source of news and emergency information. Public media leaders have strongly criticized the order, arguing that it could dismantle trusted journalism, educational programming, and vital public safety messaging relied on by millions of Americans. Executives and station managers have also questioned the legality of the move, citing the Public Broadcast Act of 1967, which was designed to shield public media from political interference. Some stations, however, clarify that they do not receive CPB funds and thus will not be directly affected. The broader public media community has vowed to fight the order, emphasizing the essential, nonpartisan role of public broadcasting in American society.