In a decisive move that has electrified conservatives and outraged liberal elites, President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order officially ending all federal taxpayer funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
The executive order, signed early Thursday morning, May 1, 2025, titled “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media,” fulfills one of President Trump’s long-standing campaign promises to eliminate taxpayer subsidies for what he has consistently referred to as “state-sponsored left-wing propaganda.” The order directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to halt all future allocations to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which distributes federal funds to NPR, PBS, and affiliated stations across the country.
Ending Decades of Liberal Media Welfare
For decades, NPR and PBS have received hundreds of millions of dollars annually in taxpayer support under the justification of promoting public broadcasting and educational content. However, critics have long argued that these organizations have abandoned objectivity in favor of far-left political and cultural programming.
President Trump echoed these sentiments during the signing ceremony, stating, “American taxpayers should not be forced to fund media outlets that openly despise them, lie to them, and attack their values. NPR and PBS have become nothing more than mouthpieces for the radical left.”
Under the executive order, all discretionary appropriations to CPB will be cut immediately, and the federal government will no longer renew contracts or grants to stations affiliated with NPR or PBS.
Trump Administration Moves To Restore Fiscal and Cultural Sanity
This action follows a broader pattern of cultural course correction under the Trump administration, as the President moves to dismantle the influence of entrenched leftist institutions within the federal government. While liberals are already sounding alarms and claiming this is an “attack on the free press,” conservatives are celebrating the decision as long overdue.
Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio praised the order, stating, “This is a great day for taxpayers and for truth. NPR and PBS have operated as an elite echo chamber for decades while sucking up our hard-earned money. President Trump just did what every Republican has promised but failed to deliver.”
House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, have already vowed to support legislation that will make the defunding permanent through congressional action. A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate later this week.
NPR and PBS: A History of Bias at Public Expense
The bias of NPR and PBS has been a longstanding point of contention for conservatives. From biased coverage of Republican candidates to glowing features on radical left-wing ideologies, both networks have been accused of manipulating public discourse under the guise of “neutral” journalism.
In 2020, NPR refused to cover the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, calling it a “distraction.” In 2021, PBS faced backlash for a documentary glorifying violent Antifa rioters. In recent years, both outlets have aggressively promoted gender ideology, climate alarmism, critical race theory, and open-border immigration policies, all at the expense of the American taxpayer.
Conservatives argue that this bias not only distorts public perception, but also undermines trust in media institutions.
Public Support Growing For Trump’s Decision
A recent Rasmussen poll found that 63% of likely Republican voters support defunding NPR and PBS, while even 29% of independent voters expressed disapproval of continued federal subsidies. Only 14% of voters overall said they rely on NPR or PBS as their primary news source.
Grassroots conservative organizations have applauded the executive order. The Heritage Foundation called it “a courageous and principled move that puts the interests of American families first.” Turning Point USA stated, “This is what leadership looks like – cutting off taxpayer money to media outlets that hate the taxpayers.”
The Left Melts Down
Predictably, the liberal establishment responded with hysteria. CNN anchors accused President Trump of “dismantling democracy.” The New York Times called it a “chilling attack on free expression.” NPR issued a statement accusing the President of “threatening independent journalism.”
However, these same outlets had no such concerns when the Biden administration spent millions funding pro-transgender radio broadcasts in Pakistan and drag queen programs for children in the United States.
The American public is increasingly seeing through this double standard.
A Message to Washington: America Is Taking Back Its Culture
President Trump’s executive order is more than a budget decision. It is a cultural declaration. It is a signal that the days of taxpayers funding their own ideological destruction are over.
This order sends a clear message to entrenched liberal institutions: If you hate America, America will no longer pay your bills.
As President Trump said during the signing, “We are restoring common sense, cutting waste, and ending the funding of lies. It is time to put America First — not elitist broadcasters with anti-American agendas.”
What Comes Next?
The executive order will take effect immediately, with full implementation expected within 90 days. CPB has already acknowledged receipt of the order and is preparing for the funding cutoff.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is preparing a broader cultural initiative to audit all federally funded media, education, and arts programs to eliminate bias and restore patriotic values in publicly funded institutions.
It is clear that this executive order is not the end — it is the beginning of a full-scale cultural reset.
And for millions of Americans long disgusted with NPR and PBS, it comes not a moment too soon.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
