President Donald Trump’s request to claw back $1.1 billion in funding for public broadcasting has public media bracing for one the most serious threats it has ever faced.

Trump on Tuesday formally asked Congress to cut money that had been set aside for public broadcasting for the next two years. The “rescission request” jumpstarted a 45-day clock for lawmakers to approve such a request — and with a simple majority needed to approve the slash, there is little room for Republicans to dissent. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Ak., last month came out in support of public broadcasting funding.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he’d put White House spending cut requests on the floor next week. The cuts are part of a larger $9.4 billion package which also includes foreign aid funding.

The threat has

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