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Axios Media Trends

The Trump administration has dismantled billions in federal support for public media, forcing layoffs and closures of crucial local news stations.

Why it matters: The efforts shrink nonpartisan news sources, weakening local journalism and America's global media presence. 

The big picture: The cuts are part of a broader ideological campaign by the Trump administration to curtail resources and sideline legitimate news outlets that seek to serve the public versus political interests. 

By defunding NPR, PBS and other established institutions, the administration can shape how Americans and the world receives information about the U.S. 

State of play: The reductions have led to mass layoffs and bureau closures.

NPR and PBS: Trump successfully lobbied Congress to vote to strip more than $1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributed funds to NPR and PBS. The media organizations have already announced significant job cuts and closures. 

The CPB shuttered in August after the vote.

U.S. Agency for Global Media: The Trump administration has tried to gut government-funded USAGM, which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. 

In August, USAGM special adviser Kari Lake announced she eliminated 532 government positions. Lake said in November the administration planned to close VOA's six overseas news bureaus and four overseas marketing offices.

Radio Free Asia in October said it would suspend operations and formally lay off its furloughed staff amid fiscal uncertainty.

USAGM is relocating to a NASA building after Lake canceled a lease agreement for the organization to move to a new privately owned building.

What to watch: Government-funded broadcasters and their employees have waged several lawsuits against the administration, alleging the executive branch has overreached in its efforts to dismantle USAGM.

A federal judge in April ruled in favor of VOA in its lawsuit against the administration, ordering the restoration of funding. In August, a federal judge blocked Lake's attempts to remove the VOA's director Michael Abramowitz.

Both NPR and PBS filed lawsuits challenging the legality of the cuts, and they're lobbying to restore funding. But that will be more difficult without CPB's infrastructure.

Public media cuts triggered layoffs and lawsuits

The cuts to NPR, PBS and VOA have led to mass layoffs and lawsuits.

Photo illustration of a print image of PBS headquarters with a tear in it revealing the same image rendered to look like a digital screen below the paper.

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

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The Trump administration has dismantled billions in federal support for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="public media" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/08/local-news-funding-public-media-global" data-vars-content-id="c318130f-251d-460c-87be-b452fbea4026" data-vars-headline="Public media cuts triggered layoffs and lawsuits" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/08/local-news-funding-public-media-global" target="_self">public media</a>, forcing layoffs and closures of crucial local news stations.Why it matters: The efforts shrink nonpartisan news sources, weakening local journalism and America&#x27;s global media presence.

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Business

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Public media cuts triggered layoffs and lawsuits

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