### Trump Administration Seeks Major Budget Cuts for Public Broadcasting, Faces Legal Pushback

The Trump administration, amid a contentious standoff with public broadcasting entities, has formally requested Congress to withdraw funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This request, submitted on Tuesday, aims to slash $1.1 billion earmarked for CPB that currently finances PBS and NPR, accusing these organizations of political bias.

CPB, which was allocated $525 million for 2024 and $535 million for 2025, faces a potential complete budget cut in 2026 and 2027 under the proposed plan. The White House Office of Management and Budget's spokesperson defended the move, categorizing CPB as a "left wing" organization and labeling its federal funding an unnecessary expenditure for taxpayers.

This budget reduction is part of a broader $9.4 billion rescission initiative that also targets cuts to foreign aid through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development. The administration's detailed fiscal 2026 proposal, released on Friday, suggests reducing federal funding for CPB to $30 million to facilitate its orderly closure.

Established by the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB directs congressional funds to support public media groups like PBS and NPR and their local affiliates. President Donald Trump has been vocal about his intention to discontinue taxpayer support for what he considers biased media. Following this agenda, he signed an executive order on May 1 to defund CPB, leading NPR to file a lawsuit against the government on May 27, arguing that the order violates First Amendment rights. PBS has similarly taken legal action against the administration.

Paula Kerger, PBS' President and CEO, warns that the rescissions would severely impact their member stations, cutting off Americans from critical local news coverage. She emphasized that public media provides valuable educational and enriching programming that commercial media often overlooks.

Patricia Harrison, CPB’s President, added that public broadcasting's federal funding is irreplaceable, and the organization needs constructive criticism, not complete defunding, to improve its services. She highlighted the indispensable role of public media in providing free, high-quality educational content and alerts to all communities.

NPR CEO Katherine Maher cautioned that the proposed funding cuts would have minimal effect on the deficit but significant negative impacts on all Americans, limiting access to vital local and national reporting, music, and emergency information.

Furthermore, the Trump administration has targeted CPB board members, issuing termination letters to three out of five members on April 28. This action prompted yet another lawsuit by CPB the following day, challenging the president’s authority to unilaterally remove Senate-confirmed board members.

The federal support for PBS and NPR constitutes around 15 percent and 1 percent of their respective budgets, with higher percentages for their member stations. More Americans, according to a Pew Research Center survey from March, support federal funding for public media than oppose it; however, the support varies widely along party lines, with much higher approval from Democrats compared to Republicans.