Columbia News

Senator Eric Schmitt has publicly called for an end to taxpayer funding for NPR and PBS, raising concerns about their perceived lack of neutrality. On July 15, 2025, Schmitt posted on his Twitter account, "This is the CEO of NPR. Our tax dollars should not be paying her salary. Tomorrow, I'm leading the Senate package to end taxpayer funding for NPR."

Later that evening, Schmitt addressed upcoming legislative action in a separate tweet dated July 15, 2025: "It’s time to act. The Senate will soon start voting on President Trump’s rescissions package to save American taxpayers from funding wasteful spending they never agreed to in the first place."

Continuing his criticism into the next day, Schmitt stated on July 16, 2025: "NPR and PBS are not neutral media outlets. They’re the closest thing we’ve ever had to an American Pravda. And that’s why we’re voting to end their taxpayer funding."

Schmitt's comments come as Congress debates federal appropriations for public broadcasting entities such as NPR and PBS. Public broadcasting in the United States receives a portion of its funding from federal sources through annual appropriations decided by Congress; however, most of NPR's budget comes from member station dues and private donations rather than direct government grants.

These statements reflect ongoing discussions in Washington regarding federal support for media organizations and broader debates about public spending priorities.