GOP lawmakers, conservatives rejoice as Corporation for Public Broadcasting announces closure
Conservatives took a victory lap after the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced it was closing its doors Friday after President Donald Trump and the GOP-led Congress cut its federal funding last month.
"PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. exclaimed on X. "The days of the American people being forced to fund biased political outlets ARE OVER."
"Proud to lead the rescissions package President Trump signed to finally pull the plug on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., wrote. "$1.1B returned to taxpayers. No more public dollars for partisan propaganda. Republicans are ending wasteful spending and putting America First."
PROMINENT LIBERALS AND MEDIA FIGURES DECLARE CUTS TO PBS, NPR A ‘PERILOUS MOMENT’
"I exposed that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting failed to vet editorial standards at NPR, PBS, and other ‘news’ outlets before handing over millions of tax dollars for blatantly biased partisan propaganda. Bye bye bye," Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, reacted with musical note and nail painting emojis.
"NPR and PBS are free to continue their biased programming. But not with your tax dollars. That’s done," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, similarly wrote.
"The Corporation for Public Broadcasting—the scheme bureaucrats used to funnel taxpayer money to NPR and PBS—will soon be no more," Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., touted. "That’s great news for every American who doesn’t want their tax dollars funding left-wing opinion journalism EVER again."
"The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS, has announced it will be shutting down after the BBB cut its half-a-billion-dollar budget. Bye-bye!" Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk wrote.
"Amazing Friday news — Corporation for Public Broadcasting is shutting down. Credit to Trump for finally being willing to do what other Republicans were too afraid to do," National Review editor Philip Klein tipped his hat to the president.
In a press release Friday, the CPB said it would begin "an orderly wind-down of its operations" as a result of the recissions package passed by Republicans and signed into law by Trump last month.
"For nearly 60 years, CPB has carried out its Congressional mission to build and sustain a trusted public media system that informs, educates, and serves communities across the country," CPB said in its statement. "Through partnerships with local stations and producers, CPB has supported educational content, locally relevant journalism, emergency communications, cultural programming, and essential services for Americans in every community."
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS
CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said "we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations" despite efforts to salvage funding for public media.
CPB employees were informed that most of their positions would conclude at the close of the fiscal year at the end of September.
"Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country," Harrison said in her statement. "We are deeply grateful to our partners across the system for their resilience, leadership, and unwavering dedication to serving the American people."
For decades, Republicans campaigned on ending federal funding for public media, which had been allocated from the CPB to NPR and PBS.
In recent years, NPR and PBS have been in the crosshairs of Trump and GOP lawmakers over allegations of political bias, which NPR and PBS leadership have vehemently denied.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger staunchly defended their media organizations while testifying on Capitol Hill in March. Both faced tough questions from Republicans over past allegations of bias and promoting far-left ideologies.