National Public Radio (NPR), known worldwide for its intimate concerts live Tiny Desk Concertswhere artists such as Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny have participated, faces a possible cut of federal funds after an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.
The AFP agency reports that Trump has had a “hostile” relationship with the media, which he has called “enemies of the people.” This confrontation led him to sign an order to suspend the financing of NPR and the public television network Broadcasting Service (PBS), which he accuses of partiality and ideological bias in his coverage.
Both means, being public, depend in part on state resources. If this financing was withdrawn, its operation would be affected, since they would only have private donations. In the official document, Trump states that “neither of the two entities presents a fair, precise or impartial portrait of today” and orders the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), as well as other government agencies, cease the allocation of funds.
The executive order also urges Congress to end the mobilization of resources before the end of March. Trump described NPR and PBS as “horrible and completely biased networks,” according to AFP. In his social networks, the ex -president has branded these chains of “monsters of the radical left that damage our country.”
The White House, under its administration, said that “NPR and PBS have fed the activism and propaganda of the left with money from taxpayers, which is an inadequate use of public funds.”
Given this action, Paula Kerger, president and executive director of PBS, described the order as “manifestly illegal” and confirmed that there has been a lawsuit against the Trump administration, which also seeks to dismiss three members of the Board of Directors.
The CPB, a non -profit entity, authorized and financed directly by Congress, recalled that its budget was already approved until 2027. This raises legal doubts about the real scope of the executive order.
With a weekly audience of more than 40 million people in NPR and 36 million per month in local PBS channels, both institutions have initiated a legal process to avoid the loss of funds that support their work.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described this action as “an alarming deterioration of press freedom” in the United States
The tiny desk, at risk
The NPR chain revolutionized its musical program with the Tiny Desk Concertsan intimate format where artists reveal their most human side in actions that have reached international projection.
The concept was born in 2008, when Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson, of the program All Songs ConsideredThey attended a concert in a bar that could barely hear. Inspired by that experience, they created a space that offered closeness between musicians and audience. Laura Gibson was the first interpreter.
What began with a microphone on a desk soon incorporated cameras and professional sound. The first session was recorded on April 14, 2008 and was published on YouTube four days later.
The objective was clear: to capture the essence of the artist without artifice. The proposal attracted renowned musicians, such as Billie Eilish.Adele, Bad Bunny.