Country music star Sheryl Crow said she will donate funds from selling her Tesla to NPR amid President Trump’s intensified calls to slash federal funding for public broadcasters — calling out tech billionaire Elon Musk’s role in the administration.
“My parents always said… you are who you hang out with,” Crow wrote Friday in a post on Instagram, sharing a video of the vehicle being towed. “There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long Tesla.”
The post comes as Trump has turned up the heat on public broadcasters, arguing outlets such as NPR and PBS have a liberal bias and should not receive federal funding — which makes up a small portion of its financing.
Earlier this month, Musk, who helms the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, called for the federal government to “defund” the public media outlet.
“It should survive on its own,” the Tesla CEO wrote on the social platform X.
Crow, who has been an outspoken critic of the president, slammed efforts to dismantle NPR, which was founded in 1970 and receives the majority of its funding from private sponsorships and user contributions.
“Money donated to @NPR, which is under threat by President Musk, in hopes that the truth will continue to find its way to those willing to know the truth,” the country artist wrote.
Trump has long called for NPR to be dismantled, and in January, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into the two outlets. FCC chair Brendan Carr expressed concern that the broadcasters violate federal law by airing commercial advertisements.
“I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials,” Carr wrote to the news outlets in a letter. “In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.”
The “If It Makes You Happy,” singer’s comments come as Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about Musk’s expanding influence in the Trump administration, while Republicans are reportedly scared to disagree with Trump’s agenda and potentially face primary challengers bankrolled by the billionaire.
