Trump's Defunding Leads to the Shutdown of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced on Friday its impending closure, slated for the end of January 2026. This decision stems from a defunding initiative spearheaded by Donald Trump with backing from Republican lawmakers, who argued that CPB exhibited bias against conservative viewpoints.CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison provided insights on the organization's future, stating, "Despite the remarkable efforts of countless Americans who advocated for continued federal support, we now confront the harsh reality of winding down our operations." She emphasized that CPB remains devoted to its fiscal responsibilities and will assist its partners throughout this transition with sincerity and transparency.Established when President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB has funded over 1,500 non-commercial public media stations nationwide. The closure announcement followed the enactment of a federal rescissions package and the Senate Appropriations Committee's FY 2026 appropriations bill, which eliminated CPB funding for the first time in over fifty years. (YouTube Screenshots\Wikimedia Commons)