Trump Signs Executive Order Ending Subsidies for Public Broadcasting

Fri Sep 26 2025 12:52:46 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

President Trump signs an executive order to cease federal funding for NPR, PBS, and other publicly funded broadcasters, aiming for a fairer media landscape.

In a recent move, President Donald Trump has signed Executive Order 14290, which terminates federal subsidies to publicly funded broadcasters like NPR and PBS. The decision is framed as a step towards ensuring that taxpayer money is not used to support what the administration calls 'biased media.' While proponents laud the effort for fairness and cost savings, critics argue it undermines free press. The implications of this decision raise important questions about the role of government funding in media and the future of public broadcasting in the United States.

President Donald J. Trump has delivered another victory for taxpayers by signing an executive order that cuts federal subsidies to NPR, PBS, and other publicly funded broadcasters. The move fulfills a long-standing promise to end the flow of government money to outlets accused of leaning heavily to the left while still demanding public support.

Stopping the Subsidy Pipeline

For decades, billions of dollars have been directed through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to sustain NPR and PBS. While these outlets claim neutrality, countless studies and surveys have shown them to disproportionately promote progressive narratives. Trump’s administration has argued that taxpayer dollars should never be used to underwrite political messaging of any kind.

With the signing of Executive Order 14290, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media,” that pipeline has officially been shut off. Funding will be phased out, saving taxpayers hundreds of millions annually and ending what the White House calls an 'unfair advantage' for government-backed media over private competitors.

Putting Taxpayers First

The order’s impact is twofold:

1. Massive Cost Savings — The CPB budget in recent years has hovered near half a billion dollars. Cutting that subsidy returns those funds to the American people.

2. Level Playing Field — Private news organizations, which rely on advertising and subscriptions, no longer face competition from government-funded outlets that can survive without market accountability.

Trump’s message is clear: taxpayers should not be forced to bankroll programming they may fundamentally disagree with.

Protecting Free Speech, Not Stifling It

Critics argue the move threatens “free press,” but the facts tell a different story. NPR, PBS, and affiliates are free to continue broadcasting, producing, and publishing as they wish. The difference now is that they must rely on voluntary donations, advertisers, or private grants—just like every other media outlet. Free speech is not being curtailed; it is being placed on equal footing.

Reinforcing Trust in Media

This order also resonates with a growing number of Americans who have lost faith in mainstream outlets. By cutting federal subsidies, Trump is pushing media organizations to earn trust the right way: through credibility, balance, and accountability to their audiences, not to Washington.

President Trump’s decision to end taxpayer funding for NPR, PBS, and other government-backed broadcasters is a decisive victory for fairness, efficiency, and American taxpayers. The era of propping up biased media with public money is over. Moving forward, these outlets will have to compete on a level playing field—just like everyone else.