Trump orders end to federal funding for NPR and PBS public broadcaster

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's board of directors to "cease federal funding for NPR and PBS," the nation's primary public broadcasters. 

The executive order was published by the White House. 

The US President accused the NPR and PBS of bias in news coverage. 

The federal funding for NPR and PBS is appropriated by Congress.

Trump recently called the two broadcasters ‘radical left monsters.’

NPR's President and CEO Katherine Maher defended coverage and addressed the need for funding in a recent interview. 

"I think that it's important for public media to be able to continue to be relevant in a time where there is a lot of coverage of different issues and areas of interest," she said, according to NPR. 

The executive order could be challenged in court.