Fact Check: Does Trump administration want to replace PBS with Prager University?

WASHINGTON, DC: Social media users spread claims that the Trump administration plans to replace PBS with Prager University, or PragerU, a conservative media group known for controversial and often misleading educational content. 

The speculation erupted shortly after Congress approved President Donald Trump’s July 18, 2025, plan to eliminate all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization behind NPR and PBS.

Claim: Trump admin plans to replace PBS with PragerU

The claim circulating online is that the Trump administration plans to replace PBS with Prager University (PragerU), a conservative media group criticized for its controversial and misleading educational content.

Many of these posts were shared alongside a PragerU video about Christopher Columbus, which critics argue downplays the horrors of slavery.

To understand the context, PragerU was founded in 2009 by conservative talk show host Dennis Prager and screenwriter Allen Estrin. According to its website, the organization aims to "promote American values through the creative use of digital media, technology, and edu-tainment."

A 2018 BuzzFeed News article noted the group's original mission was to distill Prager’s conservative views into short, digestible videos as “counter-programming” for students at what they perceived to be liberal-leaning universities.

One viral post on X (formerly Twitter) claimed, “The Trump administration is now seeking to replace PBS with 'Prager University,' a far-right propaganda organization that isn’t actually a university. One of their 'kids videos' has Christopher Columbus telling them that slavery was 'no big deal' and 'better than being killed.’” That post alone garnered over 5.2 million views in just a few days, sparking thousands of comments.

The source of the rumor appears to trace back to an MSNBC article titled, "Propaganda platform PragerU is primed to capitalize on Trump’s PBS cuts." While the article didn’t confirm any formal plan to replace PBS, it raised concerns that PragerU could benefit from the defunding of public broadcasting.

Online, users debated the claim's accuracy. One questioned, “And? Is that factually accurate?” while another simply commented, “Interesting.”

A more critical voice added, “Trump's swap of PBS for PragerU's twisted propaganda is just another nail in the coffin of truth, turning education into a right-wing indoctrination machine for our kids."

Rumor debunked: No evidence Trump admin sought PBS replacement

Social media users widely circulated the claim, but the fact-checking site Snopes debunked it as false.

The outlet explained that the rumor exaggerated reports from left-leaning outlets Vox and MSNBC. While those reports warned that PragerU, which MSNBC labeled a “propaganda outlet”, could benefit from PBS funding cuts, neither outlet claimed that the Trump administration intended to replace PBS with PragerU or planned to air PragerU content on public broadcasting.

PragerU and the Trump administration have remained silent, issuing no official statements about the claim.

Evidence does not support any formal partnership between Trump and PragerU to replace PBS or its programming. However, PragerU did partner with the White House and the Department of Education to produce a video series titled “The Road to Liberty,” commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.

According to 404Media, the videos appeared AI-generated, and one featured a virtual President John Adams saying, “facts do not care about our feelings,” a phrase popularized by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro.

Despite the collaboration, each video displayed a disclaimer, "This partnership does not constitute or imply US Government or US Department of Education endorsement of PragerU."

This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.