(José Niño, Headline USA) Congressional defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in 2025 delivered a historic blow to public media in the United States, which has now allowed conservative non-profit organization PragerU to fill in the void.
Signed into law by President Donald Trump, the rescission package cut $1.1 billion in federal support to CPB, which functions as the funding pipeline for PBS, NPR, and over 1,500 stations.
The rescission marks a culmination of long-standing conservative criticism of PBS and NPR for alleged liberal bias and ushers in what many see as the end of non-commercial educational broadcasting as a national project.
Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB, acknowledged, “Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who wrote, called, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal support, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations.” She added, “Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational content, emergency information, civil discourse, and cultural touchstones to every corner of the country.”
This legislative move spells an uncertain future for local stations, especially those in rural and tribal areas. NPR CEO Katherine Maher described the action as an “irreversible loss,” arguing that it constitutes “an unwarranted dismantling of beloved local civic institutions, and an act of Congress that disregards the public will.”
Into this vacuum, PragerU has emerged as the White House’s favored supplier of educational materials.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration partnered with PragerU for a “Founders Museum” exhibit, unveiling AI-generated videos of historical figures pitching modern conservative themes. One controversial clip featured John Adams citing Ben Shapiro’s phrase: “Facts do not care about our feelings.”
In late June, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced the Trump administration-Prager collaboration, followed by remarks from PragerU CEO Marissa Streit.
Founded in 2009 by conservative commentator Dennis Prager, PragerU has grown into a dominant force in conservative educational media.
This is not PragerU’s first government collaboration. In recent years, it has partnered with multiple states and school officials nationwide to make its content available to public school students and teachers.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
