In a few short months, the Trump administration has dealt a series of blows to the American cultural and museum system, making clear from the outset that dismantling such infrastructure would be a priority on its governmental agenda. There was the reinstatement of the 2020 “Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture” memorandum. The cuts to the General Services Administration’s fine arts and preservation units. And most recently, the issuing of a new executive order calling for the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—the only federal agency specifically tasked with supporting museums—”to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law.” The move is part of a broader, highly publicized effort to reduce the size of the federal government and, in the process, balance the budget.
What is the IMLS?
Established in 1996 under the Museum and Library Services Act, the agency’s mandate has been to enhance learning, innovation and cultural preservation through grants, research and the promotion of best practices across museums and libraries. If the executive order is not revoked, the agency is slated to shut down by next Friday. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) has since raised the alarm, noting that the decision starkly contradicts public opinion, as over 96 percent of Americans support maintaining or expanding museums. According to the organization, the IMLS already operated at a bare minimum, accounting for just 0.0046 percent of the overall federal budget. Meanwhile, museums contribute $50 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
When Observer reached out to the AAM for comment, the association reinforced how this decision directly disregards public sentiment. “Museums are not only centers for education and inspiration but also economic engines—creating jobs, driving tourism and strengthening local economies,” the organization responded. “This executive order threatens the critical roles museums and museum workers play in American society and puts jobs, education, conservation and vital community programs at risk.”
Last month, the AAM sent a survey to museum CEOs to assess the impact of recent executive orders and the growing threat to federal funding. At the same time, the organization is urging the public to help amplify the issue, raising awareness about the extent to which the Trump administration is endangering the nation’s cultural and museum infrastructure. The AAM is currently in communication with coalition partners, agency contacts and allies on Capitol Hill to evaluate the full consequences of the executive order and to provide ongoing updates on its website.
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The American Library Association also responded to the alarming directive with a statement on its website that warned that eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to library funding would be “cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer.” The association noted that libraries of all types were already receiving just 0.003 percent of the federal budget yet still managed to provide essential programs and services accessed through more than 1.2 billion in-person visits annually, not counting virtual visits or digital initiatives. The association urged the Trump administration to “reconsider this short-sighted decision,” stating that to dismantle the agency is to “dismiss the aspirations and everyday needs of millions of Americans. And those who will feel that loss most keenly live in rural communities, who depend on these institutions for education, information and community support.”
U.S. museums face mounting uncertainty
Since the start of the Trump administration, a string of executive orders and ongoing threats of federal funding freezes have pushed the American museum system into a sustained state of uncertainty and instability. “What makes this uncertainty so difficult is the importance of our work to our communities and culture. We know what’s at stake: education, jobs, conservation, and vital programs for our communities,” wrote Marilyn Jackson, president and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums, in a letter published February 3, shortly after the administration rescinded a federal funding freeze order issued at the end of January.
Meanwhile, the administration has confirmed cuts to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs through two executive orders issued in January, resulting in the suppression of DEI initiatives across federal agencies and contractors, including those previously supported by IMLS. As a direct consequence, a number of exhibitions and projects aimed at promoting inclusivity have been placed on indefinite hold unless new funding sources can be identified. In some cases, these initiatives have simply been canceled, causing a sweeping disruption of services designed to serve and reflect the diverse populations that make up a multicultural nation like the United States.
As part of its broader strategy to cut public funding under the banner of reallocating taxpayer money more “efficiently,” the Trump administration appears committed to gradually dismantling the very system that has long ensured the functioning of the American cultural and art sector—this, in a country that notably lacks a ministry of culture or comparable federal body, unlike many others around the world. The “Make America Great Again” agenda, at least for now, seems to exclude any meaningful investment in arts and culture, instead undermining the long-term sustainability of the sector. The consequences could include the erosion of national cultural heritage and a weakening of the country’s global cultural standing.
This approach stands in stark contrast to the policies of several nations that are actively investing in their cultural institutions at home and abroad, recognizing their strategic value both as economic assets and as pillars of national pride. Shortsightedness on the part of the U.S. risks serious long-term consequences for the country’s cultural identity and its position on the international stage, discarding the opportunity to harness the power of art and culture to fuel economic development, shape global perception, and promote social cohesion—something sorely needed in an increasingly fragmented and polarized American society.
Could American corporations step in to fill the void? Maybe. Google (GOOGL) Philanthropy recently announced a $1.5 million donation to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) in support of the institution’s upcoming retrospective of the late artist Ruth Asawa, opening April 5. The gift marks the largest corporate donation SFMOMA has ever received for a single exhibition.
