The Trump White House is getting things done at a record pace. They aren’t letting anything or anyone stand in their way.
And the White House is making a drastic change that’s left radical Democrats speechless.
Trump Administration Halts Funding for PBS Children’s Shows Amid Content Concerns
In a bold move, the Department of Education, under Secretary Linda McMahon, has pulled the plug on a $23 million grant that fueled children’s programming at PBS and other outlets. The decision, announced by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on Tuesday, terminates the Ready To Learn program, a long-standing initiative that supported shows like the iconic Sesame Street.
Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, expressed disappointment over the cut. “Nearly every parent has raised their kids on public broadcasting’s children’s content. For the past 30 years, Ready To Learn-funded PBS KIDS content has produced measurable, real-world impacts on children’s learning,” she said. Harrison vowed to collaborate with Congress and the Trump administration to restore the program’s funding.
The decision follows President Donald Trump’s recent executive order directing federal agencies, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, to sever financial ties with NPR and PBS. Education Department spokeswoman Madi Biedermann defended the move, stating, “The Trump Department of Education will prioritize funding that supports meaningful learning and improving student outcomes, not divisive ideologies and woke propaganda.”
According to The New York Times, Biedermann noted that the Ready To Learn grant had been used to fund “racial justice educational programming,” which the administration deemed inappropriate.
Sesame Street, a cornerstone of children’s television, has faced scrutiny for incorporating politically charged themes in recent years. The show’s official social media accounts have openly supported gay and transgender “pride,” and have shared the Pride Progress flag.
One June social media post from 2023 read, “On our Street, we celebrate inclusion, belonging, and freedom of authentic self-expression. Happy #PrideMonth to all the people in our neighborhoods!”
In 2021, the show introduced a “Family Day” episode featuring a gay couple and their daughter. Alan Muraoka, the episode’s co-director, celebrated the storyline on Facebook, proclaiming, “Love is love,” a phrase often used to challenge traditional perspectives on marriage.
That same year, Sesame Street debuted two black characters, Elijah and Wesley Walker, to teach “racial literacy” to its young audience.
The show also waded into the COVID-19 vaccine debate in 2022, encouraging children under five to get vaccinated. This prompted a sharp rebuke from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who posted, “Thanks, @sesamestreet for saying parents are allowed to have questions! You then have @elmo aggressively advocate for vaccinating children UNDER 5. But you cite ZERO scientific evidence for this.”
Beyond Sesame Street, PBS has drawn criticism for other programming. A White House report last month highlighted a 2017 film, Real Boy, which follows a transgender-identifying teen, as an example of content promoting transgenderism. The administration argues that such programming reflects an agenda that conflicts with the values of many American families.
Protecting Public Funds from Ideological Programming
The termination of the Ready To Learn grant raises a critical question: should taxpayer dollars support programming that promotes specific political or social agendas? Public broadcasting, funded in part by government resources, has a responsibility to serve all Americans, not advance ideologies that may alienate significant portions of the population.
When shows like Sesame Street embed messages about controversial issues—whether related to gender, race, or public health—they risk undermining their universal appeal and eroding public trust.
Government funding should prioritize educational content that unites rather than divides. Children’s programming ought to focus on foundational skills like reading, math, and critical thinking, not serve as a platform for social or political advocacy. By redirecting funds to programs that emphasize academic excellence and neutral, inclusive values, the Department of Education can ensure that public resources are used effectively and equitably.
Moreover, parents deserve media they can trust to educate without indoctrinating. When public broadcasters prioritize divisive narratives, they place families in the difficult position of monitoring content that was once considered universally wholesome.
The Trump administration’s decision to defund these initiatives sends a clear message: public money should not subsidize programming that pushes any ideological slant, particularly one that leans heavily into Leftist causes. Instead, the focus must remain on fostering an environment where children can learn and grow without being steered toward predetermined social or political viewpoints.
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