As Twitchy reported on Wednesday, "Weekend Edition" host Scott Simon of NPR noted that Wednesday was the first day since its creation in 1970 that NPR was working without federal funding. It was a great self-own, as Simon noted, "We're here, strong, vital, and with an audience of millions we will keep on serving, no fees, no paywalls, and across all divisions." So you didn't need federal funding after all. What did you do with all the money?
Also on Wednesday, Leila Fadel, host of "Morning Edition," read a short manifesto on air, as relayed by NPR's Steve Inskeep.
Today, on NPR's first day free of federal funds, @LeilaFadel said on Up First: "We will not easily be silenced. We will continue to be advocates for the truth--for facts. We will ask the questions our listeners, the American public, want the answers to, even if those we're asking…
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) October 1, 2025
The post concludes:
… even if those we're asking don't like our questions."
"We will not easily be silenced." What a fighter.
You are not being silenced, now you are free to express your commie views without my taxes funding you.
— Floridian 🐊🇺🇸 FA/FO (@RandomFLDude) October 2, 2025
You can say whatever you want. I just don't want to pay for it.
— Laurie (@WaltsPrincesss) October 2, 2025
You guys are privately funded now. Feel free to say whatever you want.
— Andy Stevens 🇺🇸 (@mrandystevens) October 2, 2025
😂😂😂😂 No one cares enough to try and silence NPR. You are free to say whatever you want to whomever you want.
— Adyana (@adyanalistens) October 2, 2025
You just can't do it with free money from my pocket anymore.
Who wants to “silence” you? Preposterous.
— stevemur (@stevemur) October 2, 2025
The first amendment says nothing about federal or taxpayer FUNDING of speech.
Mr. Inskeep, in April of 2024 it was revealed that NPR’s editorial staff composed of 87 Democrats and zero Republicans.
— Amos (@AmosFromWV) October 2, 2025
Have those numbers changed?
They may have laid off a couple of Democrats.
Recommended
The next day @NPR serves as advocates for the truth will be the first day it has ever done so.
— David Blackmon's Energy Absurdity (@EnergyAbsurdity) October 2, 2025
They haven’t been advocates for the truth in a very long time.
— Jack Bauer after dark 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JackBauerAD) October 2, 2025
If they wanna keep spreading their propaganda, they can do it on their own dime.
Funny thing, I've been wanting you people to ask the questions I want answers to for YEARS, but somehow the questions I have never get asked.
— God's Whale Facts Decider Cow (@inane_gimmick) October 1, 2025
Just don't expect them to ask any questions about Hunter Biden's laptop:
— JE (@llanoflash01) October 2, 2025
I don’t want to silence you. I just don’t want to pay you. Sell more totes. https://t.co/1xRR2PoFkc
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) October 2, 2025
They have plenty of evil capitalist corporations funding them and their Democrat propaganda.
NPR is getting pretty sassy now that they're not leeching off the taxpayers anymore.
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