On Thursday evening, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to cease funding Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) to the fullest extent permitted by law. The order alleges that these organizations have provided biased and partisan news coverage. The CPB, which distributes funding to PBS and NPR stations, is instructed to halt direct funding to these news organizations. The order further advises the board to decline future funding. The BBC reached out to NPR and PBS for comment. The order asserts that the perspectives promoted by NPR and PBS do not determine its concern. Instead, it emphasizes that neither entity offers a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to American taxpayers. The White House contends that funding for news media is no longer necessary and outdated, as the media landscape has evolved to become more diverse. However, the CPB budget has already been approved by Congress through 2027. NPR and PBS collectively reach over 76 million Americans weekly, with 36 million monthly viewers for PBS and 40 million weekly listeners for NPR. According to their estimates, NPR is projected to receive approximately $120 million from the CPB in 2025, which represents less than 5% of its total budget. Both organizations have previously warned that the potential loss of federal funding could have a devastating impact on their ability to provide credible news, particularly during emergency situations. Media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed concern on Friday about the erosion of press freedom in the United States under Trump and the challenges faced by independent journalists worldwide.