DOGE Calls for Major Cuts to Humanities Endowment

Trump Administration Proposes Significant Cuts to National Endowment for the Humanities

Leaders at the National Endowment for the Humanities (N.E.H.) have recently informed their employees that the Trump administration is pushing for extensive budget cuts to the agency’s personnel and programs. This development marks yet another move by the administration against federal agencies that play a crucial role in promoting scholarship and cultural initiatives across the United States.

This situation unfolded roughly three weeks after Shelly Lowe, the agency’s head appointed by President Biden, was urged to resign, several months prior to the conclusion of her four-year term. Following her departure, a team from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—part of Elon Musk’s governmental restructuring initiative—conducted multiple visits to the N.E.H. office to assess operations and suggest changes.

On Tuesday morning, management briefed staff, revealing that DOGE had proposed staffing cuts of up to 70 to 80 percent, affecting approximately 180 employees. The agency is also facing the possibility of a cancellation of all grants awarded under the Biden administration that have not yet been fully disbursed, according to information shared by three staff members. Senior leadership is working to draft more detailed plans outlining the specific nature of these proposed cuts.

A spokesperson for the N.E.H. has not responded to requests for comments regarding the proposed changes. As of now, the agency is led by an interim director, Michael McDonald, who also serves as its general counsel.

The National Endowment for the Humanities was established in 1965 alongside the National Endowment for the Arts. Since its inception, it has allocated over $6 billion in grants to a diverse array of entities, including museums, historical sites, universities, libraries, and other cultural organizations. In the previous fiscal year, the N.E.H. operated on a budget of $211 million.

The endowment plays a vital role in promoting various projects through direct grants. The most recent allocation, announced in January and totaling $26.6 million, funded numerous initiatives, including $175,000 for oral history projects related to the Lahaina wildfire in Hawaii; $300,000 for digitization efforts at the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens; and $150,000 intended for research on online language learning at the Yiddish Book Center in Massachusetts.

Additionally, the N.E.H. is critical for the sustenance of state humanities councils, many of which rely heavily on the 40 percent of the agency’s program funds that are directly funneled to them. This support is pivotal for maintaining various local cultural programs and initiatives that foster humanities education and scholarship on a community level.

In response to the proposed cuts, the National Humanities Alliance—an organization representing universities, museums, state councils, and various cultural institutions—expressed their deep concern. They issued a statement dismayed by what they perceive as the targeting of the only federal agency devoted to making the humanities accessible to the public. They emphasized that DOGE is aiming to undermine a small federal agency with a relatively modest annual budget, asserting that the impact of the N.E.H. is felt positively across every congressional district in the country.

The situation at the N.E.H. took place just a day after all personnel at the Institute of Museum and Library Services—another independent federal agency—were placed on administrative leave, raising the specter of a potential shutdown of that agency as well. This action has garnered substantial backlash from public library advocates, particularly given that the Institute provides a significant portion of funding for many state library boards, representing about one-third to one-half of their annual budgets.

While the extent of cuts at the National Endowment for the Arts (N.E.A.) remains uncertain, there are already signs of contraction within that agency as well. In February, the N.E.A. announced the termination of a small grant program targeted at supporting underserved groups, although it reassured that its broader grant initiative would continue.

As the situation continues to evolve, it is unclear what the full impact of the proposed cuts will be on the N.E.H., its employees, and the broader cultural and educational landscape. The proposed reductions raise serious questions about the future of federal support for the humanities and its critical role in enriching American society. A spokesperson for the N.E.A. did not provide immediate comments when approached for information regarding how the agency intends to navigate the current administration’s initiatives affecting arts and humanities funding.