Trump and Republicans in Congress canceled funding for the organization earlier this year as a means of targeting PBS and NPR.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a cornerstone of American culture for three generations, announced Friday it would take steps toward its own closure after being defunded by Congress — marking the end of a nearly six-decade era in which it fueled the production of renowned educational programming,

Supporters of public broadcasting warn the cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will force the closure of smaller rural stations across the country.