On March 26, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at ceasing taxpayer funding for public broadcasters like NPR and PBS. This move aligns with the conservative ideology outlined in Project 2025, which proposes depriving these networks of funding due to claims of bias against conservative views. The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding these services and calls on federal agencies to cut any related funding. Critics argue this attack on public media jeopardizes democracy and local journalism, potentially silencing dissenting voices essential for informed citizenry.
Trump's order, which he signed behind closed doors, echoes a section of Project 2025, a far-right agenda that called for stripping public funding from NPR, PBS, and other broadcasters on the grounds that they do not even bother to run programming that would attract conservatives.
Craig Aaron, co-CEO of the advocacy group Free Press, said in a statement Friday that Trump's attack on public media shows why our democracy is on life support.
The executive order, which is expected to face legal challenges, also directs all federal agencies to identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS.
Trump's attack on public media demonstrates a broader effort to silence coverage and curb dissenting voices, reflecting the government's influence over public discourse.
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