The White House dismissed comments that the Trump administration's efforts to yank already approved federal funds for foreign aid and public broadcasting pose a public safety threat. 

The rescissions package the Senate approved early Thursday pulls more than $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) that provides federal funding for NPR and PBS.

"These are not honest news organizations," Leavitt told reporters Thursday. "These are partisan left wing outlets that are funded by the taxpayers. And this administration does not believe it's a good use of the taxpayers' time and money." 

PBS and NPR could not be immediately reached for comment by Fox News Digital. 

This is a breaking news story that will be updated.