President Donald Trump said he would “delete” federal funds from mainstream news outlets NPR and PBS during a meeting at the White House on Tuesday.
“Well, I want to do that,” Trump said in response to a reporter who asked him about the Doge subcommittee. Rights Hearing “Anti-American Radio: Hold the Head of NPR and PBS Responsibility,” NPR and PBS Leaders testify.
“I think that's very unfair,” Trump added. “It's very biased. It's the whole group, that is, their whole group. And frankly, look at all the media you have right now. There's a lot of coverage.”
Katherine Maher, CEO and President of National Public Radio (NPR), and Paula Kerger, CEO and President of PBS, will testify that “an increasingly narrow and elite audience needs to continue being funded by the public who are taxed widely,” according to a press release from Doge Subcommittee.
Maher and Kerger are expected to push back and justify their news organization and why they deserve public funding.
Less than 1% of NPR funds come directly from the federal government, while other funds are indirectly allocated to subsidies and local member stations, and are allocated from paying fees to NPR.
PBS It is reportedly received 16% of government funds.
The website says it receives a portion from the Public Broadcasting (CPB), which receives about $500 million a year approved by Congress.
Trump believes that federal funds received by mainstream stores are not being used effectively.
“The kind of money that's wasted is a very biased view, as they spend more money than any other network ever thought up. “And I'm honored to see it end. We're well covered. Look at all the people here today. We're well covered. Especially the waste of money. I don't even know what Doge's recommendation is.
R-Ga, chairing the Doge subcommittee. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said he believes Maher and Kerger should justify the need for federal funding.
“I want to hear why I think NPR and PBS should receive a cent again from American taxpayers,” Green said.
“These partisan, so-called “media” stations were unable to properly report the hoax of Russian conspiracy, dropping the ball on Hunter Biden's laptop and down the origins of Covid-19,” she added. “It's now time for CEOs to publicly explain this biased compensation. Federal taxpayers should not be forced to pay unilateral reporting, which should not be forced to attack more than half of the country to protect and promote the political interests of more than half of the country.
