By Kelsey Walsh, GMA/ABC News
WASHINGTON — The White House is looking to ax funding for NPR and PBS, two outlets that it alleges are left-leaning and a “waste” of taxpayer money.
The White House put out a memo Monday night laying out what it claimed was evidence against the two entities in a list of reporting that it said is “trash that passes for ‘news.'”
The list included a PBS documentary that it alleged was “making the case for reparations,” a segment on PBS’ Washington Week that it said “covered up Joe Biden’s clear mental decline” and a laundry list of stories exploring LGBT issues and racial identity.
The memo did not actually indicate its intention to pull funding.
“Eliminating funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would have a devastating impact on American communities across the nation that rely on public radio for trusted local and national news, culture, lifesaving emergency alerts, and public safety information,” NPR said in a statement Tuesday morning. “We serve the public interest. It’s not just in our name — it’s our mission.”
The administration intends to ask Congress, through a recession request, to cancel funding from public broadcasting, foreign aid initiatives and other programs that have already been approved, according to the New York Post.
