So is your argument that NPR is a mouthpiece for the US government? I think that requires some evidence, rather than flinging about flimsy associations like this.

No, my argument is that an institution managed by past government officials cannot be unironically called independent from said government.

So every institution employing former government officials are state affiliated? Or does this just apply to ones you don't like?

either would be silly tbh

s/employing/led by/. Yeah, pretty much.