US President Donald Trump has signed an order aimed at cutting public funding for NPR and PBS, accusing the media of bias.

NPR and PBS are only partially funded by US taxpayers and rely heavily on private donations.

Trump has long been hostile toward most mainstream media outlets, previously describing them as "enemies of the people," AFP reported.

The powerful conservative television network Fox News is an exception, with some of its anchors holding important positions in the Trump administration.

"National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)," Trump's order said.

"I am therefore directing the Board of Directors of the CPB and all executive departments and agencies to terminate federal funding for NPR and PBS."

He added that "neither organization provides fair, accurate, or impartial coverage of current events to taxpayers."

CPB's budget has already been approved by Congress through 2027, raising questions about the scope of Trump's order.

According to their estimates, over 40 million Americans listen to NPR public radio every week, and 36 million watch a local PBS television station every month.

NPR Director Catherine Maher estimated in March that the radio station would receive about $120 million from CPB in 2025, "less than 5% of its budget."

Media rights group RSF warned of an "alarming deterioration of press freedom" in the US under Trump and "unprecedented" difficulties for independent journalists around the world. | BGNES