The New York Times is reporting that The White House is preparing to ask Congress to rescind more than $1 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting, in a move that could wipe out nearly all federal support for NPR, PBS, and their local affiliates,
According to sources briefed on the plan, the proposal would cut $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which allocates funds to public media nationwide. While the CPB is “forward-funded” to shield it from political shifts, much of the 2025 funding has already been distributed.
The plan is part of a broader “rescission package” also targeting billions in foreign aid, with Congress given 45 days to approve or reject it. If rejected, the administration must spend the funds as originally directed.
Last month, NPR and PBS executives faced aggressive questioning from GOP lawmakers at a congressional hearing over alleged liberal bias. Trump allies argue the services are outdated in a digital age, while advocates warn the cuts would devastate rural communities.
Spokespeople for CPB, NPR, and PBS declined to comment.
Since returning to office, the Trump administration has launched a wide-ranging effort to defund and reshape arts and cultural institutions. At the Kennedy Center, Trump dismissed the entire board, named himself chairman, and dismantled diversity-focused initiatives, sparking artist resignations, including a planned engagement of Hamilton, and audience backlash.
The administration has also slashed grants from the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, disbanded the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and targeted universities and news outlets, part of a broader ideological push critics say threatens cultural independence and expression.
