WATCH: Sen. Kennedy asks Vought if defunding PBS and NPR led to the end of Western civilization

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., questioned Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, about public media’s persistence despite losing federal funding in a hearing Thursday held by the Senate Budget Committee.

“At your suggestion, we clawed back — as I recall — about $1.1 billion that the American taxpayers were giving to NPR and PBS,” Kennedy said. “And we were told, were we not, that if we did that, Western civilization would end as we know it.”

Vought agreed, saying, “We were told those types of things would occur if we did not fund that program.”

“But here we are, and NPR still exists, doesn’t it?” Kennedy said.

“As does PBS,” Vought added.

The administration requested last year that Congress rescind more than $1 billion, or two years of funding, that had been previously appropriated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supported NPR, PBS and local stations. Congress approved that request, as well as rescissions for some $7.9 billion in funding for foreign aid.

Vought, a key figure in the Trump administration's efforts to shrink the federal workforce, also defended the president's budget request in a House hearing Wednesday.

President Donald Trump's funding wish list for fiscal year 2027 includes a staggering bump for defense spending — a nearly 50% increase to $1.5 trillion — to build his "dream military."

The president's budget request is not final, but it does signal the Trump administration's priorities for the coming fiscal year. Though Trump has tried to exert more authority over spending in his second term, it's up to both chambers to revise and approve the final budget in the coming months.

Newsletters

PBS News podcasts

Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app

Find more from PBS News at

Subscribe to our YouTube channel