Trump endorses defunding NPR, PBS; signs voter ID order

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
26 Mar 2025 12:46
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US President Donald Trump has expressed support for defunding NPR and PBS, calling federal funding to these media outlets "unfair" and "biased".

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President Donald Trump delivers remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, Monday, March 24, 2025 (Pool via AP)

US President Donald Trump signaled his support for defunding NPR and PBS, calling federal funding to these outlets "unfair" and "biased".

During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump was asked by a journalist about the subcommittee on DOGE reviewing funding for NPR and PBS. The question also referenced the backing of the defunding proposal by figures such as Senator Kennedy and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Trump responded, "Well, I would love to do that. I think it's very unfair. It's been very biased. The whole group, I mean, a whole group of them."

The US president went on to criticize the media's liberal bias, stating, "There's plenty of liberal in the media right now. There's plenty of coverage from a different age, and they spend more money than any other network of its type ever conceived."

Trump also called the funding a "waste of money," adding, "So the kind of money that's being wasted and it's a very biased view, you know that better than anybody, and I'd be honored to see it end."

In his view, federal funding for NPR and PBS is unnecessary, as he said, "We're well covered. Look at all the people that we have here today. We're well covered and we don't need it."

Trump signs executive order to strengthen proof of citizenship for voter registration

Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at tightening proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration, a move critics argue could disenfranchise low-income and elderly voters who may struggle to access documents like passports or birth certificates.

Republican state lawmakers have long pushed for such documentation to be required, but a key obstacle has been a Supreme Court ruling mandating that states accept the federal voter registration form, which does not currently require proof of citizenship.

Trump’s executive order directs the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to implement the new requirement and to withhold election funding from states that fail to enforce it for voters using the federal registration form. The EAC, which consists of two Democratic and two Republican appointees, is reviewing the order. "The U.S. Election Assistance Commission is carefully reviewing the President’s Executive Order and determining the next steps in enhancing the integrity of voter registration and state and federal elections," said EAC Chairman Donald Palmer. "We also anticipate consulting with state and local election officials."

The order also directs the Department of Homeland Security to collaborate with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to review state voter rolls for foreign nationals and share the findings with state and local election officials. This provision could raise concerns among voting rights advocates who fear that DHS immigration databases may mistakenly target naturalized citizens for voter roll purges.

Why it matters

The executive order is seen as a significant shift in election policies long advocated by conservatives, with Trump continuing to promote unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. The full impact of the order remains unclear, and certain aspects could face legal challenges.

While elections are primarily managed by state and local authorities, Trump’s order utilizes federal funding leverage to implement changes aimed at securing elections, according to Republicans. Critics argue, however, that such measures create unnecessary barriers for legitimate voters.

Election law expert Richard Hasen, from the University of California, Los Angeles, called the order "an executive power grab," claiming it would disenfranchise millions of voters. "The aim here is voter suppression pure and simple," he added.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, labeled the order "unlawful" and warned it would prevent eligible Americans from exercising their right to vote. "The Trump administration is weaponizing the federal government and trying to make it harder for voters to fight back at the ballot box," Griswold stated.

Conservative groups, such as the Heritage Foundation, praised the executive order. "President Trump is finally taking the action long needed to put the resources of federal agencies like the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to work helping states, instead of trying to hinder their efforts to reform our election process," said Hans von Spakovsky, manager of Heritage’s Election Law Reform Initiative.

The order also makes it easier for states to access federal databases for voter list maintenance and mandates the attorney general to take "enforcement action" against states accepting mail-in ballots received after Election Day, a practice currently followed by roughly 20 states, including key battlegrounds.