WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Republicans, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have launched an effort to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides funding to public media outlets such as NPR and PBS.
During a hearing on Wednesday, Greene accused the organizations of promoting radical agendas, including “LGBTQ indoctrination of children,” “systemic racism narratives,” and “anti-family, pro-crime fake news.”
“We will be calling for the complete and total defunding and dismantling of the CPB,” Greene said, claiming the content produced by NPR and PBS is “brainwashing the American people, and more significantly, American children.”
Greene’s comments reflect broader Republican criticisms of public media.
President Donald Trump frequently referred to legacy news media as the “enemy of the people.”
Greene also linked her efforts to the House Committee on Government Efficiency, a body focused on cutting federal spending under the leadership of Trump advisor Elon Musk.
Despite these criticisms, CPB funding has already been approved through 2027, with over $500 million allocated.
NPR receives $120 million annually from CPB, less than 5% of its overall budget, according to NPR CEO Katherine Maher.
Maher warned that removing federal support would disproportionately harm rural communities, where public media serves as a critical source of information.
Democrats strongly opposed Greene’s comments. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas accused Republicans of seeking to eliminate diverse perspectives, saying, “Greene wants to shut down everybody that is not Fox News.”
Representative Stephen Lynch criticized the hearing’s focus, suggesting Republicans should instead address security concerns, referencing a recent leaked Signal chat among government officials.
