In a move that has sparked sharp criticism from public interest advocates, the U.S. Senate this week approved a White House request to cancel approximately $8 billion in foreign aid and $1 billion in funding for public broadcasting, including public media staples like PBS and NPR.
The vote of 216-to-213 included all but two Republicans in favor of the cuts. The bill goes next to President Trump for his signature.
The foreign aid cuts affect a wide range of programs, including funding for global health initiatives, humanitarian disaster response, gender equity programs, and U.S.-led development efforts in vulnerable regions. Critics say the move signals a retreat from America’s global commitments—especially to women and girls abroad, who often benefit most from U.S.-supported maternal health care, access to education, and anti-violence programming.
Equally concerning to many observers is the $1 billion reduction in public broadcasting funding. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports local public radio and television stations, is a frequent target during budget season, but rarely on this scale. The cuts could significantly reduce the reach and capacity of public broadcasters like NPR and PBS, especially in rural communities where commercial media has all but disappeared.
The $1 billion cut to public broadcasting may sound like a bureaucratic trim, but the real-world consequences will hit hard, especially for women and families. For single mothers, public television is more than entertainment. It’s an educational lifeline. PBS KIDS, known for shows like Sesame Street and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, delivers free, accessible, curriculum-aligned programming to millions of homes without requiring cable, streaming subscriptions, or expensive technology.
PBS Kids is on every day 24/7, meaning there’s never a moment when it’s not available. In fact, PBS stations are #1 reaching children ages 2-8 in low income homes, moms of young children, moms of young children in low income homes, and hispanic moms of young children. There is research that children who accessed PBS Kids scored 46% higher standardized test scores, showed improvement in math skills, and demonstrated greater empathy and more confidence in social interactions.
During Covid, almost 30% of students didn’t have internet access, however PBS Kids was available to over 95% of U.S. TV households. Cuts to PBS jeopardize this vital service, stripping educational content from children in households already marginalized by economic inequality.
The decision is also the latest example in a broader pattern of the federal government turning away from media that challenges the political status quo. While some of the cuts are being framed as routine fiscal discipline, they follow a trend of targeting platforms that do not align ideologically with the administration or are perceived as critical of the White House.
The financial squeeze on public media comes amid a wave of high-profile media cuts across the industry. CBS announced that it will be canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert next may. After nearly a decade on air, part of CBS’s larger restructuring of its late-night lineup. Though Colbert’s show had consistently topped ratings, the network cited cost-cutting and “shifting viewer habits” as justification for ending production.
For nearly a decade, The Late Show served as one of the few mainstream platforms where sharp, consistent criticism of both Republican and Democratic administrations reached a national audience. Colbert was known for calling out hypocrisy, corporate influence, and political cowardice, including segments that directly challenged CBS leadership when the network wavered in the face of political pressure. As Trump’s influence over the GOP reasserts itself, CBS’s decision to cancel The Late Show is raising some critics’ eyebrows.
Taken together, these developments paint a troubling picture: public and independent media, especially content that informs or challenges audiences, is being systematically defunded or de-prioritized. The same week that Colbert’s show was canceled, PBS quietly announced potential layoffs across several local stations, citing uncertainty in federal appropriations.
For millions of Americans, these aren’t abstract budget lines. Public broadcasting remains a trusted source for local news, educational programming, and cultural coverage, especially for communities underserved by corporate media. The defunding of PBS means fewer free children’s programs, fewer in-depth documentaries, and fewer local reporting resources in places that have already lost newspapers and TV bureaus.
The Senate’s approval of these cuts may mark a turning point. As fiscal politics increasingly intersect with culture wars, publicly funded media is emerging as a primary target. Whether through legislation, budget rescissions, or quiet programming cancellations, the result is the same: fewer independent voices, less access to trustworthy information, and a shrinking public square.