By Gloria Nosa
In a bold move aimed at reshaping the American media landscape, former President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting entities, including the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). Citing what he describes as a longstanding ideological bias and misuse of taxpayer dollars, Trump’s directive is the most direct attempt yet to sever federal ties with publicly funded media outlets.
Trump framed the decision as a matter of fiscal responsibility and political fairness. “American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize media organizations that consistently promote one-sided, left-wing narratives,” he said in a statement released by his office. “It’s time to stop funding propaganda and start supporting independent thought.”
The order calls for the defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the central body that allocates federal grants to PBS, NPR, and hundreds of affiliated stations nationwide. Though CPB funding makes up a small portion of these organizations’ overall budgets, especially in major markets, rural and underserved communities—where local public media stations often rely more heavily on federal support—are expected to feel the greatest impact.
Critics of the move argue that the decision undermines trusted sources of educational programming and local journalism. Supporters, however, view it as a long-overdue step toward removing perceived liberal influence from publicly funded platforms.
The action has already sparked heated debate on Capitol Hill, with Democrats vowing to fight the order and preserve public broadcasting, while many Republicans rally behind Trump’s call to eliminate what they see as a biased use of federal resources.
Whether the order survives legal and legislative challenges remains to be seen, but its symbolic significance is clear: Trump is once again positioning himself as a warrior against what he calls the “liberal media establishment”—and taking concrete steps to reshape it.
