PBS disputes Trump’s claims of ‘bias’ following his executive order targeting the network

The head of PBS is disputing President Donald Trump’s claims that the outlet is biased after the president issued an executive order saying that PBS and NPR would no longer receive federal funding. 

During a conversation with Katie Couric, Paula Kerger, the CEO and president of PBS, was asked about Trump’s opposition to her outlet and the executive order ending federal funding for the outlets. 

"The White House released a document accompanying the executive order criticizing PBS and NPR’s coverage of the pandemic and Hunter Biden, among other things," Couric said. "To say that this, you know, that the information that you all are disseminating on PBS and NPR is basically biased. And I’m curious to hear your response to that." 

PBS, NPR BLAST 'BLATANTLY UNLAWFUL' TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER HALTING PUBLIC FUNDING, VOW CHALLENGES

Kerger responded saying that she doesn’t "understand" the accusations of bias. 

"In terms of the you know, the COVID origins, we actually did fairly extensive coverage of, you know, the various theories, including the Wuhan lab theory," Kerger said. "So that I don’t understand the criticism and always when people say we see bias in your programs and by the way we get that on both sides. You know, I get as many calls from people on the more progressive side as on the conservative side that have issues every night with every night’s broadcast. You know, I see this or I see that." 

She also insisted that confirmation bias is to blame in the current media cycle. 

"We’re in a difficult time right now in our country around news coverage where people forget that news is news and it is not about hearing information that is reaffirming what you think you know," Kerger said.

NPR SUES TRUMP WHITE HOUSE OVER EXECUTIVE ORDER TARGETING PUBLIC MEDIA

Trump’s executive order, entitled "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization Of Biased Media," criticized the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funnels taxpayer money to PBS and NPR. 

"Unlike in 1967, when the CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options," the executive order reads.  "Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence." 

On Tuesday, NPR and three Colorado public radio stations sued the Trump administration over the executive order defunding PBS and NPR. 

"It is not always obvious when the government has acted with a retaliatory purpose in violation of the First Amendment. 'But this wolf comes as a wolf,'" the legal brief for the public broadcasters reads. "The Order targets NPR and PBS expressly because, in the President's view, their news and other content is not 'fair, accurate, or unbiased'."

PBS is reportedly not part of the lawsuit, but in a statement Tuesday said that the "President’s blatantly unlawful Executive Order, issued in the middle of the night, threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming, as we have for the past 50-plus years.  We are currently exploring all options to allow PBS to continue to serve our member stations and all Americans."

Fox News Digital reached out to PBS for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.