PBS Chief Condemns Trump’s Move to Cut Funding/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ PBS CEO Paula Kerger denounced President Trump’s executive order cutting federal funding to PBS and NPR as “blatantly unlawful.” The move, part of a broader administration effort to curtail publicly funded cultural institutions, has triggered legal challenges. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting argues it is not subject to Trump’s order and warns of severe impacts on local stations.
Trump Order to Slash PBS, NPR: Quick Looks
- PBS CEO Paula Kerger calls Trump’s executive order “unlawful” and a threat to public service media
- Executive order instructs agencies to halt all federal funding to PBS and NPR
- Trump accuses outlets of spreading “radical, woke propaganda disguised as news”
- CPB pushes back, saying it’s not a federal agency and sues over board firings
- Local stations, especially rural ones, face financial peril if cuts proceed
- White House proposal is part of a broader $9.1 billion budget rescission effort
- Legal experts warn of constitutional concerns over executive overreach
- Trump administration also targeting arts, libraries, universities, and global media
Deep Look: PBS Chief Rebukes Trump Funding Cuts as Legal Showdown Looms
WASHINGTON — The head of the Public Broadcasting Service sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s new executive order aimed at defunding PBS and NPR, calling the move “blatantly unlawful” and a threat to the mission of public media in the United States.
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said Friday that the executive action jeopardizes the network’s ability to deliver educational and cultural programming to the American public, particularly in underserved communities.
“This order threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming, as we have for the past 50-plus years,” Kerger said in a statement. “We are currently exploring all options to allow PBS to continue to serve our member stations and all Americans.”
The executive order, signed late Thursday, directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and other federal agencies to cease all funding for PBS and NPR. It also requires the agencies to root out any indirect streams of public money that benefit the two nonprofit broadcasters.
The White House claimed in a social media post that PBS and NPR “receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.’”
CPB Pushes Back as Legal Fight Begins
The CPB, which distributes public funds to hundreds of PBS and NPR-affiliated local stations, immediately disputed the order’s legality. Officials noted that the CPB is not a federal executive agency and, therefore, not subject to presidential directives. Earlier this week, Trump announced plans to fire three of the five CPB board members, a move that triggered an immediate lawsuit from the agency.
“This unprecedented attempt to defund and dismantle the CPB threatens the entire public media system,” said one official familiar with the lawsuit.
Local Stations at Risk
While PBS and NPR receive some direct funding, the majority of federal public media funding supports local stations, especially in rural or underserved areas. These stations rely on a mix of federal grants, viewer donations, and philanthropic support. Many are at risk of closure if federal money dries up.
Historically, local ties to public media have made it politically difficult for lawmakers—Republican or Democrat—to vote for cuts. But Trump’s order is viewed as the most direct threat to the system since its creation.
Part of a Broader Effort to Reshape Public Institutions
The executive order follows a broader strategy by the Trump administration to exert influence over or dismantle federally supported institutions perceived as ideologically opposed. Since returning to office, Trump has:
- Ousted agency leaders
- Placed staff on administrative leave
- Cut off hundreds of millions in cultural funding
- Targeted the John F. Kennedy Center, National Endowment for the Humanities, and academic institutions
The president has also pushed universities and law firms to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, threatening to withhold federal funding if they do not comply.
Two weeks ago, Trump’s budget director, Russell Vought, previewed a $9.1 billion package of rescissions that would include eliminating CPB funding. That proposal has yet to reach Congress, but the executive order signals Trump’s intent to push forward unilaterally.
Global Media Also in the Crosshairs
Trump’s public broadcasting crackdown comes as his administration seeks to dismantle the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees international outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Courts have already ruled against the administration’s earlier efforts to block funding to those outlets, raising questions about whether similar judicial pushback could follow in the PBS/NPR case.
