Former President Donald Trump is urging Republican lawmakers to support his “Recessions Bill,” which includes a provision to eliminate federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the agency that supports PBS and NPR. In a statement posted to social media, Trump criticized the outlets as biased and said they are “worse than CNN & MSDNC put together.”
Trump warned that any Republican who votes to maintain funding for CPB would forfeit his support and endorsement heading into the 2024 election cycle. The CPB currently receives approximately $465 million annually from the federal government and is a major source of funding for public media across the U.S.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from media advocates who argue public broadcasting plays a vital role in educational programming and local journalism. Supporters of the bill argue it’s a necessary step to reduce government spending and combat perceived media bias.
The bill faces uncertain prospects in the Senate, where Democrats and some moderate Republicans may oppose efforts to defund public media.
