Conservatives Call to Defund PBS After Network Puts ‘Inflammatory Rhetoric’ Warning on Trump Speech

There are new calls to defund PBS over a graphic put up on a YouTube live stream during a speech Donald Trump gave after his indictment court appearance on Tuesday.

The text was used by PBS News Hour to add context as the former president addressed supporters from his New Jersey golf resort.

“Experts warn that inflammatory rhetoric from elected officials or people in power can prompt individual actors to commit acts of violence,” the text stated.

It was one of 14 lower thirds labeled “context" during the live stream. PBS did not air the speech on the network

"Defund PBS" was trending on Twitter Wednesday morning.

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was among those who tweeted a screenshot of the message.

"Taxpayer funded PBS goes full PRAVDA" and "Defund PBS."

Right-wing Texas radio host Kenny Webster also seized on the message.

“Here's further proof public broadcasting is unnecessary and irrelevant,” he wrote, adding that PBS, NPR, Voice of America and other “publicly funded broadcast scam” organizations.

But another Twitter user countered by tweeting:  “Unhinged MAGA cultists are screaming ‘Defund PBS!’ after a responsible, 100% warranted chyron, yet they have no problem with the Fox "News" chyron lying and calling Biden a ‘wannabe dictator’.” 

There have been various calls from the right to end taxpayer support to PBS. Some Republicans claim that its programing is pro-Democrat.

Last month, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill to continue funding the state's PBS station. He also accused it of trying to “indoctrinate” children because a “Clifford the Big Red Dog” reboot introduced a character who has two moms.