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WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aiming to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR as he alleged \u201cbias\u201d in the broadcasters\u2019 reporting.<\/p>\n
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies \u201cto cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS\u201d and further requires that that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. The White House, in a social media posting announcing the signing, said the outlets \u201creceive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as \u2018news.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The broadcasters get roughly half a billion dollars in public money through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and have been preparing for the possibility of stiff cuts since Trump\u2019s election, as Republicans have long complained about them.<\/p>\n
Paula Kerger, PBS\u2019 CEO and president, said in a statement last month that the Trump administration\u2019s effort to rescind funding for public media would \u201cdisrupt the essential service PBS and local member stations provide to the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nothing more American than PBS, and our work is only possible because of the bipartisan support we have always received from Congress,\u201d she said. \u201cThis public-private partnership allows us to help prepare millions of children for success in school and in life and also supports enriching and inspiring programs of the highest quality.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued Trump earlier this week over his move to fire three members of its five-person board, contending that the president was exceeding his authority and that the move would deprive the board of a quorum needed to conduct business.<\/p>\n
Just two weeks ago, the White House said it would be asking Congress to rescind funding for the CPB as part of a $9.1 billion package of cuts. That package, however, which budget director Russell Vought said would likely be the first of several, has not yet been sent to Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n