Trump Pressures GOP Senators to Support Bill Defunding Public Media

President Donald Trump is speaking out about lawmakers who do not vote in compliance with the recently passed rescissions package, which would cut funding to public media such as PBS and NPR. Having passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last month, the bill is now in the hands of the Senate. They are expected to vote next week.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, the President said this: “It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together. Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

If passed, the $9.4 billion rescissions would trigger a rollback of previously appropriated funds, most notably $1.1 billion in federal support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which sustains NPR, PBS, and over 1,500 local public media outlets across America. The vote passed 214–212 by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Many advocates for public media have already voiced their concerns about the bill, including several artists, documentary filmmakers, and more. “The most important thing about PBS is that ‘public’ in the name, noted Gordon Quinn, the founder of Kartemquin Films. "When you deal with PBS, that little sliver of public money — and it is a sliver that Congress is just trying to claw back and take away from PBS — means they have to be accountable to a public."

Paula Kerger, PBS's president, sent out a statement earlier this week encouraging viewers to contact Senators in an attempt to protect the funding. "If our funding is eliminated, it endangers so many crucial services PBS and our member stations provide: from educational programming for people of all ages to emergency alerts," she said. "We empower people to build a better life for themselves and their families. We represent and serve all communities. And we make our country stronger." Viewers can make their voices heard by contacting Congress and lawmakers here. 

Among the many programs available on PBS, a large number of Broadway productions have made their way to the network. This May, under its Great Performances banner, PBS aired the 2025 edition of its "Broadway's Best series, featuring proshot recordings of Next to Normal, Yellow Face, Girl From the North Country, and Kiss Me, Kate. Other recent theater offerings include the recent Broadway revival of Purlie Victorious, the  Rodgers and Hammerstein 80th anniversary concert, and Audra McDonald at the London Palladium.

PBS recently unveiled its fall lineup, which includes a recording of The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park's Twelfth Night production, a recording of The Great War and the Great Gatsby, and a film celebrating Tony Winner Dick Van Dyke, among others. 

Since returning to office, the Trump administration has launched a wide-ranging effort to defund and reshape arts and cultural institutions. At the Kennedy Center, Trump dismissed the entire board, named himself chairman, and dismantled diversity-focused initiatives, sparking artist resignations, including a planned engagement of Hamilton, and audience backlash.

The administration has also slashed grants from the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, disbanded the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and targeted universities and news outlets, part of a broader ideological push critics say threatens cultural independence and expression.