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National Public Radio (NPR) has suspended Uri Berliner, its senior business editor, due to an unauthorized article he published that critiqued the network’s coverage and claimed it had a left-leaning bias.

David Folkenflik (a reporter with NPR) confirmed that Berliner’s five-day suspension without pay started last Friday after he failed to seek approval for his work in other outlets, a requirement under NPR’s policy. The network described the notice as a “final warning,” with further infractions potentially leading to his termination.

In his article for The Free Press, Berliner criticized NPR for its handling of several sensitive political stories, including the alleged collusion of Donald Trump with Russia, the Covid-19 lab-leak theory, and the Hunter Biden scandal reported by the New York Post. He argued that NPR’s approach showed a lack of “viewpoint diversity” and accused the network of guiding listeners on how to think, triggering significant backlash and calls for defunding the public broadcaster.

NPR’s Editor-in-Chief, Edith Chapin, responded to Berliner’s claims by defending the network’s journalistic integrity and commitment to inclusive reporting. Simultaneously, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans and other staff publicly denounced Berliner’s critique for its perceived unfairness and for allegedly undermining colleagues of color.

The article also sparked a vehement response from conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, who attacked NPR on his Truth Social platform and advocated for cutting its government funding.