Trump is trying to save this country. But there are enemies of his that don’t want him to succeed.
And NPR just unleashed an absurd tirade against President Trump for making this crucial order.
On Wednesday, NPR CEO Katherine Maher took to “PBS NewsHour” to address President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which seeks to strip federal funding from NPR and other public media outlets like PBS.
The order, signed earlier this month, claims these organizations misuse taxpayer dollars to push partisan narratives. Maher, however, called the move a direct attack on free speech, describing it as “viewpoint discrimination” rooted in the administration’s disapproval of NPR’s reporting.
“Essentially, by blocking funding to NPR and PBS, it is a form of retaliation against our organizations for airing editorial programming that the president might disagree with,” Maher said. She emphasized that the order violates the First Amendment’s protections for free speech and press freedom, as well as the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which was designed to shield public media from government influence.
Legal Pushback Gains Momentum
In response to the executive order, NPR, alongside Colorado Public Radio, Aspen Public Radio, and KSUT, filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday. Maher called the order “a clear violation of the Constitution,” arguing it undermines the independence of public media.
While PBS has not yet joined the lawsuit, spokesperson Jeremy Gaines indicated the organization is exploring all options, including legal action, to protect its ability to deliver vital programming to its member stations and the public.
Addressing Bias Allegations
During the PBS interview, anchor Geoff Bennett pressed Maher on accusations of liberal bias at NPR, a critique amplified by former NPR editor Uri Berliner. In a 2024 essay for The Free Press, Berliner criticized NPR for its “absence of viewpoint diversity” before resigning from the organization. Republicans have echoed similar concerns, accusing NPR of favoring progressive narratives.
Maher firmly rejected these claims, asserting, “We’re a non-partisan news organization. We seek to be able to provide a range of different viewpoints in terms of who we bring on air, the stories that we tell.”
She added, “My view is that is a mischaracterization of our work. We do not seek to favor any political party at all. We seek to ensure that Americans have a wide range of perspectives available to them.”
The White House Responds
A White House spokesperson, responding to Maher’s remarks, told Fox News Digital that the administration views the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s funding of NPR and PBS as supporting partisan media.
“The President was elected with a mandate to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” the spokesperson said, defending Trump’s push to limit funding as a lawful exercise of his authority.
Public Media’s Future
The debate over NPR’s funding comes at a time when public media faces intense scrutiny. Maher’s defense highlights NPR’s alleged commitment to diverse perspectives, while the administration’s actions signal a push to redefine how taxpayer dollars are spent.
As the legal battle unfolds, the future of public media hangs in the balance, but the Trump administration is hoping organizations like NPR strike a more balanced narrative with their reporting as they move forward.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
