After the White House suddenly fired the advice of the vast majority of consulting agencies amid the government shutdown on Wednesday, only four council members retained the Humanities Foundation (NEH).
According to a letter signed by Mary Sprowls of the White House Presidential Office, it was sent to the council members Wednesday morning. Washington Post. It reads: “On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I write to you that your position as a member of the National Humanities Council is immediately terminated.”
The National Humanities Commission is usually composed of 26 scholars and humanities leaders who have been appointed by the president for six years. The Council decided on the recommendations of the NEH Chairman on grants, policies and funding. The Advisory Committee’s meeting requires at least 14 members, each meeting has been confirmed by the Senate.
Members reportedly plan to recommend nomination of the National Humanities Medal, review three “single-source” grant applications and consider Trump’s national national hero’s proposals for statues at a meeting next week, before the government shutdown. Washington Post.
The committee’s website has also been updated to reflect the remaining four members: Russell A. Berman, and some members appointed by Keegan F. Trump have been removed from the website. The remaining four are white.
The regulations that provide for the Council provide that when selecting members, the President “will be considered appropriately for women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities.”
A White House spokesman told Washington Post President Donald Trump eliminated these board members because he “wanted to put members on board members, who were more closely aligned with his vision.”
Founded in 1965, NEH has awarded over $6 billion in grants to museums, historical sites, universities, libraries and related organizations.
This is the latest change in donor agencies, with staff at donor agencies being cut by two-thirds in June. As part of the 2026 national budget, there is also a proposal to eliminate it completely. In April, NEH was forced to cancel the grants previously granted, although some have recovered.
Federal courts have withdrawn the Trump administration’s efforts to thwart the agency and have lifted a series of bans against the grants.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has weakened another federal grant agency, the National Foundation for the Arts (NEA), which has been banned from funding programs that promote “gender ideology.” The injunction was found to violate the First Amendment rights last month.
