Donald Trump is trying to overhaul the federal government. The Washington, D.C. Swamp is terrified of that.
And the Deep State is panicking after Trump details plans to strip funding from this government agency.
Trump Targets NPR and PBS Funding
In a lively exchange at the White House on Tuesday, President Donald Trump didn’t hold back when asked about slashing federal dollars for mainstream media giants NPR and PBS. “Well, I would love to do that,” he declared, responding to a reporter’s question about an upcoming DOGE Subcommittee hearing titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the heads of NPR and PBS Accountable.” The event promises a showdown, with NPR and PBS leaders set to defend their operations under the spotlight.
Trump didn’t mince words. “I think it’s very unfair,” he said, pointing to what he sees as deep-seated bias. “It’s been very biased. The whole group, I mean, a whole group of them. And frankly, there’s plenty of—look at all the media you have right now. There’s plenty of coverage.”
For Trump, the solution seems clear: with so many voices already in the mix, these publicly funded outlets might be redundant—and a poor use of taxpayer money.
The DOGE Subcommittee, led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), is turning up the heat. NPR’s Katherine Maher and PBS’s Paula Kerger, both chief executives of their respective organizations, will soon face tough questions.
According to a subcommittee press release, they’ll need to explain why “the demonstrably biased news coverage they produce for an increasingly narrow and elitist audience should continue to be funded by the broad taxpaying public.” It’s a pointed challenge, and one that’s got Trump’s attention.
Maher and Kerger, however, aren’t likely to go down without a fight. They’re expected to argue that their networks still deserve public support, despite the numbers telling a nuanced story. NPR gets less than 1% of its budget straight from Uncle Sam, though it pulls in more through indirect channels like grants and fees from local stations.
PBS, meanwhile, leans harder on federal funds—about 16% of its budget comes from the government, funneled largely through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB, which gets roughly $500 million annually from Congress, spreads that cash across public TV and radio, with some earmarked for NPR and PBS programming.
Trump’s take? The money’s not just unnecessary—it’s being squandered. “They spend more money than any other network of its type ever conceived, so the kind of money that’s being wasted, and it’s a very biased view, you know that better than anybody,” he said.
“And I’d be honored to see it end. We’re well covered. Look at all the people that we have here today. We’re well covered, and we don’t need it, and it’s a waste of money especially.” He even hinted he’s not waiting on DOGE’s final word—though he assumes they’ll push to “close them up.”
Greene, the firebrand chairing the subcommittee, is all in on the effort. “I want to hear why NPR and PBS think they should ever again receive a single cent from the American taxpayer,” she said. She’s got a laundry list of grievances: “These partisan, so-called ‘media’ stations dropped the ball on Hunter Biden’s laptop, down-played COVID-19 origins, and failed to properly report the Russian collusion hoax.”
For her, it’s personal—and political. “Federal taxpayers should not be forced to pay for one-sided reporting, which attacks over half the country to protect and promote its own political interests,” she added, signaling she’s ready to team up with Trump to end what she calls a “blatant misuse of taxpayer funds.”
A Growing Chorus of Support
What’s striking about this push is how it’s resonating with everyday Americans. Polls and chatter across platforms like X suggest most folks back DOGE’s efforts to reduce government waste and fraud.
It’s not just about dollars; it’s about fairness. People feel these federal agencies and programs have drifted from serving the whole nation to preaching to a shrinking choir.
The Trump-Greene alliance has tapped into that frustration, and it’s paying off. DOGE’s efforts are gaining steam, with grassroots groups popping up to cheer them on.
Supporters say they’re ready to see programs like NPR and PBS fend for themselves in a crowded media landscape. For them, it’s not about silencing voices—it’s about leveling the playing field. And with Trump back in the White House, they’re betting he’ll deliver.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
