Trump Yanks Federal Funding For Left-Wing Media Orgs NPR And PBS | The Daily Caller

Trump Administration Cuts Funding for NPR and PBS

President Trump's administration issued an executive order terminating federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The order cites the outlets' perceived left-wing bias and argues that government funding is obsolete in today's diverse media landscape. The administration contends that neither NPR nor PBS provides fair, unbiased news coverage.

Arguments and Justifications

The executive order emphasizes that no media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the government can choose which activities to fund. It also points to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's (CPB) statutes, prohibiting support for any political party. Trump has long voiced this position, publicly criticizing NPR and PBS for their alleged bias.

Examples of Alleged Bias

• Differential coverage of tariffs: The order points to contrasting coverage of tariffs under the Trump and Biden administrations, suggesting biased reporting towards a more favorable narrative of the Biden tariffs.
• Hunter Biden laptop story: NPR's alleged avoidance of the Hunter Biden laptop story and PBS's handling of it are cited as further evidence of partisan bias.
• COVID-19 origins: NPR's coverage of the pandemic's origins, particularly its focus on a narrative that contradicts findings by the U.S. Department of Energy and the FBI, is mentioned as another example.

While NPR claims to receive only a small percentage of its funding from the federal government, other sources indicate that they receive significantly more funding in grants.

Potential Legal Challenges

The executive order's impact could be significant, potentially freezing the $535 million in CPB funding for fiscal year 2025. However, the order is likely to face legal challenges.