President Trump reiterated his longstanding stance against federal funding for public broadcasting during a press briefing on March 25, 2025, declaring he’d be “honored” to see NPR and PBS defunded. His remarks came hours before a contentious congressional hearing where leaders of both networks faced scrutiny over alleged political bias.
– Trump criticized taxpayer support for NPR/PBS as “very unfair,” arguing commercial media alternatives make their funding unnecessary.
– PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher testified before the House DOGE subcommittee chaired by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who accused both networks of promoting “anti-American” content.
– Federal funding for these organizations flows through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which distributes $535 million annually to local stations — not directly to NPR or PBS.
– Only ~1% of NPR’s budget and ~16% of PBS funding comes directly from federal sources.
– Local stations rely more heavily on CPB grants, which average 7-10% of their budgets — critical for rural outlets providing emergency alerts and educational programs.
– The Trump-aligned Project 2025 blueprint and FCC Chair Brendan Carr have pushed to eliminate CPB funding, citing bias and an oversaturated media market.
– House Republicans introduced multiple bills to block federal support, including Rep. Claudia Tenney’s (R-N.Y.) Defund Government Sponsored Propaganda Act.
– CPB President Patricia Harrison notes public broadcasting leverages $7 in private donations for every taxpayer dollar.
– PBS cites Nielsen data showing 46% of its audience identifies as conservative, disputing claims of systemic liberal bias.
The debate centers on whether public media remains essential in an era of fragmented digital platforms, with final appropriations decisions pending in Congress.
