Attack on NEH Is Another Authoritarian Move

The Trump administration has now turned its sights on a small agency that provides support for community programs in every state. The National Endowment for the Humanities, which funds museums, historic sites, libraries, educators and media outlets across the country, has been advised of plans to slash staff by 70-80 percent. The Department of Government Efficiency is reportedly rescinding grants that have already been awarded, thwarting the will of Congress and upending worthwhile projects that improve our lives. It’s yet another authoritarian move to control what people in our country see, say, and think.

Given that this agency’s budget is less than 0.01 percent of the US budget, it’s clearer than ever that the real attack is on ordinary people and our ability to know and understand the world around us. Congress has the power to stop Trump’s power grab and must act to do so.