The Trump administration has officially pulled the plug on federal funding for PBS’s controversial “Ready To Learn” initiative — a $23 million taxpayer-funded program that had increasingly promoted woke ideology under the guise of educational content for children.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced the decision, making it clear that federal resources should go toward programs that deliver real educational value, not social engineering. “We’re prioritizing learning outcomes — not political messaging,” McMahon said. The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to root out far-left influence in publicly funded media and restore integrity to educational programming.
The now-defunded initiative had bankrolled shows like Sesame Street, which in recent years strayed far from its educational roots. The program began injecting radical themes into its episodes — from pushing Black Lives Matter activism and promoting LGBTQ+ narratives to encouraging COVID-19 vaccination for toddlers. One episode even featured same-sex couples explaining their “families” to children, while others lectured on racial bias and privilege.
The backlash has been growing, with parents and lawmakers raising concerns over what they see as blatant indoctrination targeting the youngest and most impressionable viewers. Senator Ted Cruz and other conservative leaders have pointed to the programming as a clear example of taxpayer dollars being used to push left-wing political agendas in the classroom and at home.
President Trump’s action follows an earlier executive order directing agencies to sever ties with biased media organizations like NPR and PBS, both of which have long been accused of promoting one-sided narratives while being funded by American taxpayers. Cutting funding to the “Ready To Learn” program is a natural extension of that order — and a clear signal that the federal government won’t subsidize content that undermines traditional values.
This move reinforces the administration’s commitment to keeping politics out of children’s education and returning control to parents and local communities. With this decision, the Trump White House is standing up to the media establishment and taking decisive steps to protect children from ideological manipulation disguised as public television.