President Trump and his allies are showing renewed vigor as they set their crosshairs on a longtime target for the right: public media.

Recent moves by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Republican lawmakers scrutinizing outlets like NPR and PBS over perceptions of liberal bias and taxpayer funding have highlighted the GOP’s willingness to use the power of the federal government to make life difficult for outlets Trump feels have treated him unfairly.

Trump has telegraphed plans to take on NPR for years, celebrating an essay from a former editor who publicly accused the outlet of bias last year by vowing to give it no more public funding and describing it as a scam.

With Trump now in the White House, allies have begun turning up the heat.

“Trump has aggressively targeted these organizations and now has the administrative muscle to do something about it,” said Tobe Berkovitz, a Boston University professor who specializes in the media.

The effort was punctuated last week in a letter from FCC Chair Brendan Carr to NPR and PBS leadership saying he planned to launch an investigation into member stations airing sponsorships.

Federal law prohibits public broadcasters from selling commercial sponsorships,........

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