The article discusses the actions taken by President Trump that affect federal arts and humanities organizations. Amid the longest government shutdown, Trump dissolved the Department of Homeland Security’s Cultural Property Art and Antiquities (CPAA) program, reassigning its professionals to immigration enforcement, reflecting a shift towards aggressive immigration policies. This comes as the National Council on the Humanities (NCH) was significantly reduced, eliminating much of its diversity, as all women and people of color on the council were terminated.
The CPAA, previously focused on investigating art theft and repatriating stolen cultural artifacts, has effectively halted its operations, forcing its investigators into roles that facilitate deportations instead. Trump’s overarching strategy appears to promote a “white nativist mass deportation operation” while neglecting the arts sector, which has been instrumental in advocating for empathy and justice.
Further dismantling of arts organizations includes the shuttering of the Commission on Fine Arts (CFA) and a reported focus on installing members aligned with Trump’s “America First” narrative. This shift raises concerns about the future of cultural representation and the role of arts in a society facing rising autocratic tendencies. The article characterizes Trump’s actions as part of a broader pattern of undermining democratic institutions while steering them towards his political ends.
