NPR’s CEO Katherine Maher got a tough grilling from Republican lawmakers this week. They accused her of wasting taxpayer money to push left-wing ideas. Maher tried to defend her network, but critics say her answers showed exactly why NPR shouldn’t get public funds anymore.
Maher told Congress NPR is fair and serves all Americans. She said they cover local news and important issues. But Republicans didn’t buy it. They pointed out NPR mostly hires liberals and ignores conservative voices. A past editor admitted 87 of NPR’s D.C. staff were registered Democrats, with zero Republicans.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a GOP leader, blasted Maher’s old social media posts. Maher once called Trump a “racist sociopath” and said America is “addicted to white supremacy.” Greene said it’s wrong to force Trump voters to fund a network that hates them. Maher claimed she supports free speech, but her past comments about cracking down on “bad information” made her look hypocritical.
NPR finally admitted they were wrong to ignore the Hunter Biden laptop story. For over a year, they avoided reporting on scandals involving President Biden’s son. Republicans said this proves NPR only covers stories that help Democrats. Maher said it was a mistake, but critics called it proof of bias.
President Trump weighed in after the hearing. He said NPR and PBS are “arms of the Radical Left” and should be defunded. Many conservatives agree, saying private companies like Spotify and Apple can handle news without taxpayer help. They argue NPR’s woke agenda doesn’t deserve public money.
NPR’s own staff admitted they focus on race and gender issues. They track sources by skin color and push “diversity” rules that shut out conservative views. One former worker said NPR feels like a “left-wing bubble” where dissent isn’t allowed. Maher took over after this whistleblower was forced out.
Democrats tried to defend NPR by joking about Elmo and Cookie Monster. They said cutting funds would hurt rural areas. But Republicans fired back, saying local stations can survive without Washington’s help. They accused NPR of brainwashing kids with radical gender theories instead of honest news.
The hearing made it clear NPR is in trouble. Even some liberals think taxpayer funding is unfair. With Trump vowing to end handouts, NPR might soon have to stand on its own. Critics say that’s a good thing—let them push woke politics on their own dime.
