The Trump administration is preparing to ask the Republican-led House of Representatives to rescind approximately $9.3 billion in previously approved funding, targeting public broadcasters National Public Radio (NPR), the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to a White House official cited by The Hill, the formal request package, totaling $9.3 billion in proposed eliminations, is expected to be sent to Congress when lawmakers return from their Easter recess on April 28th.
READ: AG Pam Bondi Avoids Backing Trump’s El Salvador Prison Proposal For U.S. Citizens
The move aligns with President Trump’s long-standing criticism of public broadcasting.
In a statement released Monday, the White House accused NPR and PBS of spreading “radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news'” and called taxpayer funding for their “biased content” a “waste.” President Trump echoed this sentiment on his Truth Social platform last April, labeling NPR a “liberal disinformation machine” and demanding, “NOT ONE DOLLAR!!!”
The White House press release provided numerous examples it deemed objectionable, including:
- An NPR Valentine’s Day feature on “queer animals.”
- A 2024 PBS documentary advocating for reparations.
- An NPR segment on “genderqueer dinosaur enthusiasts” and “trans-ceratops.”
- A PBS children’s program featuring a drag queen.
- NPR reports questioning “healthism” and suggesting doorway sizes reflect “latent fatphobia.”
- A 2017 NPR story discussing cannibalism, including an anecdote about consuming a human placenta.
Further justifications cited allegations of deep-seated liberal bias and a lack of viewpoint diversity within the organizations.
READ: Federal Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Attempt to End Biden-Era CHNV Migration Program
The administration highlighted:
- NPR’s 2020 decision not to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story, dismissing it as a “pure distraction.”
- The suspension of a veteran NPR editor who publicly criticized the network’s perceived liberal slant and reported finding an 87-to-0 ratio of registered Democrats to Republicans in the newsroom.
- NPR CEO Katherine Maher’s past social media posts calling Trump a “fascist” (for which she has apologized) and other actions perceived as partisan.
- Studies suggesting disproportionately negative coverage of Republicans on PBS compared to Democrats and frequent use of terms like “far-right” with minimal use of “far-left.”
- NPR’s dismissal of the COVID-19 lab leak theory.
The funding challenge coincides with an investigation launched in late January by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump ally. Carr expressed concern that NPR and PBS broadcasts might be airing underwriting announcements that “cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements,” potentially violating federal law.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher responded at the time, defending the long-held practice of generating revenue through underwriting and expressing confidence that any review would confirm NPR’s adherence to FCC rules.
READ: Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Tells Followers To Fight Republican ‘Sideshow’
Beyond public broadcasting, the administration’s request also targets USAID funding. The White House cited several examples of State Department and USAID funding deemed “not in line with Trump’s agenda,” including $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda, $750,000 for reducing xenophobia in Venezuela, and $3 million for a children’s developmental television program in Iraq.
The Hill’s report noted that Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency led the charge against USAID and effectively shuttered the decades-old, Congressionally mandated aid agency. Musk has previously criticized NPR and called for its defunding.
While government funding for NPR and PBS has decreased substantially in recent years, the move comes despite polling indicating that most Americans support continued funding for PBS. The administration’s request now awaits consideration by the House upon its return.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
