Republicans Seek to Defund PBS, NPR Over Sesame Street Pride Post; $500 Million Funding, House Vote, NPR Lawsuit at Stake

Republican lawmakers and commentators have called for defunding the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) after PBS's children's program Sesame Street posted an image of multi-colored puppets forming a Pride flag for LGBTQ Pride Month. The post, which included the message, "On our street, everyone is welcome. Together, let’s build a world where every person and family feels loved and respected for who they are. Happy Pride Month," has been criticized by Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who accused PBS of 'grooming' children and misusing taxpayer funds.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, is preparing for a House vote on defunding PBS and NPR and has publicly declared her intent to vote in favor. President Donald J. Trump has issued an executive order to halt taxpayer funding for PBS and NPR, citing the need for public broadcasting to remain 'fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan.' NPR has filed a lawsuit to block this directive.

PBS and NPR collectively receive approximately $500 million annually through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. A recent analysis reported PBS programming featured 173 liberal-leaning guests and 41 conservative or Republican-leaning voices between January and May 2025.

Sen. Josh Hawley and other Republican senators are supporting measures to reduce federal funding for media outlets that do not meet standards of fairness and ideological diversity. House action on the funding issue is expected soon.