The Trump administration has sent a rescissions package to Congress, proposing to eliminate $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports public media outlets like NPR and PBS. The package, announced on June 3, 2025, targets the CPB’s annual $535 million appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, continuing President Donald Trump’s long-standing campaign to defund what he calls a “politically biased” system. The proposal, which also includes cuts to foreign aid and other programs, has reignited debates over the role of public media in American communities.
The Office of Management and Budget stated, “Today, we sent the first rescissions package to Capitol Hill. This package contains BILLIONS in wasteful foreign aid and federal funding for NPR and PBS.” The administration described public media as an “unnecessary expense to the taxpayer,” escalating its broader agenda to reduce federal spending, spearheaded by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency.
Public media leaders swiftly condemned the proposal. Patricia Harrison, CEO of the CPB, emphasized the organization’s commitment to “accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan news and information.” She warned that defunding public media would sever “a vital lifeline” for local communities, particularly for emergency communications, early learning, and local programming. Similarly, Paula Kerger, PBS president and CEO, called the cuts “devastating,” especially for smaller and rural stations that rely heavily on federal funds. “Without PBS member stations, Americans will lose unique local programming and emergency services in times of crisis,” Kerger said to Deadline.
The proposal has drawn fierce opposition from public media advocates. Kate Riley, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations (APTS), described the cuts as “one of the most serious threats” to public media in its history. She noted that 70% of CPB funding supports local stations, with rural stations—about 30 nationwide—facing the greatest risk, as federal dollars account for 30% or more of their budgets.
Public media outlets are mobilizing supporters to pressure Congress. APTS’s “Protect My Public Media” campaign has generated 1.6 million communications to lawmakers, while PBS and NPR are already suing the administration over a prior executive order to defund them, citing First Amendment violations. The CPB is also challenging Trump’s attempts to remove three board members, including Sony’s Tom Rothman.
Unlike past efforts to defund public media, which were rebuffed by bipartisan support, the current political climate appears more precarious. Some GOP lawmakers, once vocal supporters of public broadcasting, have remained silent, aligning with Trump’s agenda. However, Riley remains cautiously optimistic, noting that some Republican members still value their local stations’ contributions to public safety, education, and community engagement.
Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have decried the package as “reckless” and an attack on the free press. The administration’s broader media crackdown, including FCC probes into private companies like Comcast and Disney, has heightened concerns about press freedoms.
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