Trump Demands PBS & NPR Get Defunded ‘Immediately’ in Late Night Rant
President Donald Trump has called for PBS and NPR to be “defunded” immediately, referring to the publicly-funded networks as “a giant scam” and “arms of the radical left Democratic party.”
“NPR and PBS, two horrible and completely biased platforms (Networks!), should be DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote in a late-night Truth Social rant.
He continued, “Republicans, don’t miss this opportunity to rid our Country of this giant SCAM, both being arms of the Radical Left Democrat Party. JUST SAY NO AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
The President’s comments came amid a special congressional hearing on Wednesday (March 26), held by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)’s DOGE Subcommittee to interrogate PBS and NPR executives over claims of bias against the Republican party.
PBS, which airs much-loved shows including All Creatures Great and Small, Call the Midwife, Finding Your Roots, Grantchester, and more, has long faced criticism from Trump, who claims the network is biased in its programming.
According to a 2024 poll by YouGov, Americans voted PBS as their third-most trusted news source after The Weather Channel and the BBC.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Greene questioned PBS CEO Paula Kerger, attacking her for allegedly featuring programming showing the drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess reading her children’s book The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish, which she called “repulsive.”
According to the New York Times, Kerger responded by telling Greene the drag queen was not actually on any of our kids’ shows,” and instead was part of a project from the WNET Group, the parent company of New York’s public television stations, in conjunction with the New York City Department of Education.
Little Miss Hot Mess also responded to Greene, who referred to them a “child predator” and a “monster” during the hearing. In a statement to The Daily Beast, the performer said, “While [Greene] claims to promote liberty, in reality, she just wants to tell us all what to think and do. That’s not freedom, that’s fascism.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) also slammed the hearing, firing back at Republicans and saying free speech is not just whatever MAGA “wants somebody to say.”
PBS launched on October 5, 1970, as a free-to-air network and is best known for its educational programs, including Sesame Street, Magic School Bus, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Reading Rainbow, and more. The network also hosts several news programs, including Frontline, PBS NewsHour, and Firing Line.
According to a report from Pew Research Center this week, only 24 per cent of Americans support cutting funding.
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