Trump White House Seeks to Cease Federal Funding to PBS, NPR With New Executive Order
The Trump White House has ordered that all federal funding of PBS and NPR be blocked under the argument they are "biased."
variety.com
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Trump to PBS and NPR: I’m cutting you off…
- Thread starter only1moore
- Start date
variety.com
He doesn't have the power to do that. The courts have already ruled on similar funding cuts he's made. The money is appropriated, and that's it.
www.cbsnews.com
He obviously ran out of patience with congress, because he told them to shut it down, and they didn't. He then tried to fire three people at CPB, and was immediately sued. So we will wake up Friday morning, and he'll be sued again.
CPB was created specifically to prevent this from happening. He has no authority over CPB and can't tell them what to do. They won't fold as easily as USAGM.
Trump signs executive order cutting funding to PBS, NPR
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies "to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS."
www.cbsnews.com
He obviously ran out of patience with congress, because he told them to shut it down, and they didn't. He then tried to fire three people at CPB, and was immediately sued. So we will wake up Friday morning, and he'll be sued again.
CPB was created specifically to prevent this from happening. He has no authority over CPB and can't tell them what to do. They won't fold as easily as USAGM.
Also the CEO of PBS has appeared on PBS Newshour to respond to the recent drama between the White House and CPB this week and how the situation affects their local affiliates.
PBS CEO weighs in on the potential impact of cutting public media funding
The Trump administration is expected to ask Congress to rescind more than $1 billion of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the congressionally-created body through which NPR and PBS get federal funding, including for this program. The CPB is also suing the administration...
www.pbs.org
NPR CEO Katherine Maher addresses future of federal funding for public media
Katherine Maher, president and CEO of National Public Radio, talks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about the White House proposal to eliminate federal funding for public media.
www.nprillinois.org
Likewise the CEO of NPR appeared on All Things Considered to respond to a similar drama between them, CPB and Congress for the same stuff. First of all the current CPB funding approved by congress does not end until 2027 after the midterm elections. Whatever Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene had in mind violates the current budget for CPB. Also the states dispute their decision.
Here's a little secret; Trump does this when he's losing in the polls with his voters. He suddenly barks out all these tough guy proclamations, just to show 'em he's big boss man. Or whatever this week.
BigA is right. Trump is just puffing himself up again. If he were anyone else, his threats would have been responded with "You will? My, aren't you just adorable! SAAAY! Who wants their happy pills and applesauce?......."
BigA is right. Trump is just puffing himself up again. If he were anyone else, his threats would have been responded with "You will? My, aren't you just adorable! SAAAY! Who wants their happy pills and applesauce?......."
Also you have to guess what does the Trump Administration not want the rest of the country to know about? We have to dig the wire services from Tariffs to the Putin Administration to get a partial clue. Also we have to figure out which Episodes of PBS Frontline and PBS News hour Trump wants censored for some reason in the same way Trump went after Paramount CBS News and Disney's ABC News for the same reasons. OK the licenses WGBH-TV, WNET-TV, WETA-TV, WHYY-TV, KQED-TV has to be on the list of PBS affiliates that the FCC will go after as part of the Defund PBS and NPR agenda.
apnews.com
About 4,700 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded fighting for Russia, South Korea says
The assessment came two days after North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia recapture parts of the Kursk region.
apnews.com
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As expected, CPB has responded to the president's order:
cpb.org
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Statement Regarding Executive Order on Public Media
WASHINGTON, D.C, (May 2, 2025) — Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), issued the following statement today regarding the President’s Executive Order on public media: “CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President’s authority...
This EO was issued after business hours. If it was anyone else, we'd think it was a drunk dial. He had too much wine at dinner, and issued a proclamation. Keep in mind this is the person who oversees our military and nuclear weapons. If he has indigestion, he could set off a world war.
NPR's CEO has issued a statement regarding this latest EO:
Here is the response from PBS:
www.pbs.org
Here is the response from PBS:
PBS Statement on Executive Order Regarding Public Media
Statement from Paula Kerger, President and CEO, PBS: “The President’s blatantly unlawful Executive Order, issued in the middle of the night, threatens our…
www.pbs.org
Protect PBS KVIE - PBS KVIE
Support PBS KVIE in keeping Northern California connected, informed, and enriched through powerful storytelling, lifesaving information, and community engagement, protect public media today.
www.kvie.org
Protect My GBH
www.wgbh.org
Trump Targets Public Media, Orders End to Federal Funding for NPR and PBS | KQED
In an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, the nation's primary public broadcasters.
Local affiliates of NPR and PBS has said something similar via reposting of articles from PBS News Hour and NPR News. Or the GM modified statements the CEO's of NPR and PBS made with local impacts and how it affects journalism in city halls and state capital news coverage as seen here.
PBS Chief Says Donald Trump’s Executive Order Directing Federal Funding Cuts to PBS and NPR Is Unlawful
Public Broadcasting Service CEO Paula Kerger said the Republican president’s order “threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming, as we have for the past 50-plus years.”
Trustworthy, accessible journalism
Public media is a public good. Support WBEZ and the Sun-Times to keep a free, independent press alive.
www.wbez.org
Well allegedly, he doesn't drink. And his gut can process daily McDonald's, so indigestion is impossible.
The bottom line is he wrote the damn thing, likely during business hours when he could have been doing something besides complaining about things he really has no concept of at all. (Such as....anything?)
White House proposes eliminating CPB’s funding in FY26 budget plan
“Nearly all federal funding for public media appears to be eliminated” from Trump’s discretionary budget request, says CPB Chair Ruby Calvert.
current.org
Here is more but this plan to eliminate CPB funding in 2026 conflicts with the current funding that ends in 2027.
Is there a legal loophole (or at least one that will pass the sniff test with the stacked courts) that would allow Trump or a congressional majority to rescind the funding already allocated?White House proposes eliminating CPB’s funding in FY26 budget plan
“Nearly all federal funding for public media appears to be eliminated” from Trump’s discretionary budget request, says CPB Chair Ruby Calvert.
Here is more but this plan to eliminate CPB funding in 2026 conflicts with the current funding that ends in 2027.
Did he write it or just sign it?
It's called impoundment, which was supposedly outlawed in 1974, but an integral part of Project 2025. What you need to know about impoundment, and how Trump vows to use it
That's already been proposed. They call it a "clawback." It can only be done by congress. However it can't be done for ideological reasons.
Trump Administration to Ask Congress for $1.1 Billion in Funding Cuts to CPB
It is considering a rescission package that would ask Congress to claw back previously approved spending for public media
www.tvtechnology.com
To do this, they will have to prove fraud, misconduct, or some kind of criminal activity was done with the money. Not free speech.
Clawback: Definition, How It Works, and Financial Examples
Discover how clawbacks let employers reclaim funds and examine their role in finance, government, and Medicaid, plus explore key examples and defenses.
That hasn't been done yet with CPB. They attempted to do it with FEMA funds for CPB, but got sued and the money was delivered.
The white house is proposing a claw back of funds already distributed. That's a different thing, and it's explained above.
What this thread is about is the EO directing CPB to stop giving appropriated funds to NPR and PBS for ideological reasons. CPB has until June to comply. No explanation about what happens if CPB doesn't comply. Based on what we've seen at the Peace Institute, it's not going to be pretty.
DOGE evicts agency officials in police standoff
In a February executive order, Trump said the U.S. Institute of Peace would be gutted to the "minimum" staff levels required by law.
www.newsweek.com
First of all whatever the Trump administration is doing with his rants on CPB does not line up with reality. Also there's no proof that CPB committed fraud in this case. In reality CPB has conducted a financial audit on California State University, Sacramento the owners of Sacramento's NPR affiliate Capital Public Radio/CapRadio. In other words Congress and the Trump Administration cannot do a clawback on CPB. In this case CapRadio has to return $200k in funds back to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting because they had a reason to believe that CapRadio previous GM was misusing their funds. So the Trump administration and certain members of congress are wrong on their assessment of CPB.That's already been proposed. They call it a "clawback." It can only be done by congress. However it can't be done for ideological reasons.
Trump Administration to Ask Congress for $1.1 Billion in Funding Cuts to CPB
It is considering a rescission package that would ask Congress to claw back previously approved spending for public media
To do this, they will have to prove fraud, misconduct, or some kind of criminal activity was done with the money. Not free speech.
Clawback: Definition, How It Works, and Financial Examples
Discover how clawbacks let employers reclaim funds and examine their role in finance, government, and Medicaid, plus explore key examples and defenses.www.investopedia.com
‘Absolutely unacceptable’: Forensic examination finds misuse of funds, possible conflicts of interest and $700,000 in mysterious reimbursements at CapRadio
A summary of the highly anticipated report, released Monday, answers questions that have dogged the financially troubled station for a year. A criminal investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is expected to follow.
CapRadio releases audited 2024 financial reports, revealing $10M in debt and its repayment plans
CapRadio management officials say a plan is underway to pay back $7.7 million owed to Sacramento State for the cost of the station’s two Downtown projects.
New CPB audit of CapRadio finds station overreported funding, noncompliant with financial policies
Auditors found that CapRadio overreported its revenue by nearly $6 million over three fiscal years. CPB is now asking the station to repay nearly $200,000 for the grants it awarded based on the incorrect information given.
PBS 2025 Fact Sheet
Programming pioneers. In the past and today, PBS is home to path-breaking creators and shows. In 1970, our first broadcast, THE FRENCH CHEF, was one of Am…
www.pbs.org
PBS issues another statement on how important Public Television is to their audience. In this case they listed how their local affilaites do important documentaries in the most notable Red States like Wyoming, Texas, Arkansas and Iowa. Also in another case they mentioned
In another case they mentioned how Right Wing Pundits appeared on PBS shows when it came to politics. Yes some of it is because they appeared on the local shows as in statewide debates and the local equivalent of PBS Newshour in those cases.
Well, I don't exactly remember any Congressional legislation over it.
North Dakota lawmakers approve Prairie Public funding, but reduced amount • North Dakota Monitor
North Dakota lawmakers set state funding for public broadcasting at $400,000 early Saturday, providing money for tower improvements after threatening to cut off Prairie Public funding completely earlier in the session.
northdakotamonitor.com
Here is an update on how the State of North Dakota responds to funding public media in the state.