Amid Trump Administration’s Threats To Defund Public Broadcasting, Durbin Meets With Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association CEO

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the CEO of the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association (WETA), Sharon Percy Rockefeller, to discuss the need to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). During the meeting, they also discussed the Trump Administration’s threats to defund National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

“The ruthless cuts and attacks on our federal government was not enough for the Trump Administration—now they want to go after public broadcasting, which has been providing unbiased, informative, and breaking news for years, especially for our nation’s rural communities,” said Durbin. “During today’s meeting, we discussed the vital need for public broadcasting. Congress must act to stop these cuts on public broadcasting—our democracy depends on it.”

Through the government funding bill passed earlier this year, CPB will receive $535 million for Fiscal Year 2027. However, the Trump Administration plans to formally request that Congress rescind all of the funds for FY26 and FY27—which amounts to $1.1 billion in previously approved funding for public broadcasting. If the recission is passed, this would eliminate all federal funding for CPB, PBS, and NPR.

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