PBS just bent the knee to the King of the North – er, I mean – President Donald Trump.
In response to an executive order given by Trump, PBS reluctantly shut down their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office and removed their DEI staffers. This was confirmed by a public broadcaster on Monday evening.
“In order to best ensure we are in compliance with the President’s executive order around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion we have closed our DEI office,” said the federally funded PBS. “The staff members who served in that office are leaving PBS. We will continue to adhere to our mission and values. PBS will continue to reflect all of America and remain a welcoming place for everyone.”
🚨BREAKING: PBS shuts down its DEI Department
"In order to best ensure we are in compliance with the President’s executive order around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion we have closed our DEI office. The staff members who served in that office are leaving PBS."
Per: The Hill pic.twitter.com/AFfSJGCZp6
— dustin mills (@dustinemills24) February 13, 2025
Trending Politics reports:
In January, President Trump issued executive orders to dismantle DEI programs within federal agencies, reinforcing merit-based employment practices. The move has influenced several major corporations to reassess and often reduce their DEI initiatives.
For instance, Google abandoned its diversity hiring goals, citing recent court decisions and federal directives. Similarly, Meta, Amazon, McDonald’s, and Walmart have scaled back their DEI programs, responding to political pressures and legal challenges.
Founded in 1969, PBS operates as a private, non-commercial organization funded through government grants, corporate sponsors, and viewer donations. Unlike commercial networks, it does not rely on traditional advertising.
Earlier in February, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr launched an investigation into NPR and PBS to see if they had breached federal rules that govern how public broadcasters transmit commercials.
“I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials,” Carr wrote expressed in a report. “In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.”
FCC regulations allow businesses to support noncommercial radio and television stations — such as NPR or PBS — through on-air announcements known as underwriting sponsorships. While such sponsorships have similarities to commercial advertising, they come with additional FCC regulations that do not apply to regular radio or television ads.
“To the extent that these taxpayer dollars are being used to support a for-profit endeavor or an entity that is airing commercial advertisements, then that would further undermine any case for continuing to fund NPR and PBS with taxpayer dollars,” he added to his letter before sending to NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger.