On October 1, the White House terminated most members of the National Council on the Humanities. As of the time of this writing, only four members, who all happened to be ones that Trump appointed, remain.
The White House said in a statement that Trump “is hoping to place members on the board who align more closely with his vision.” The White House did not provide further details.
Reuters
This was the justification that the White House provided, even though it is not the purpose or intention of the council to align with the views of the President.
The council is de facto shut down, as it requires a quorum of 14. New members must be confirmed by the Senate.
This is yet another instance of Trump attempting to take total control over Washington D.C.’s cultural institutions. While relatively small, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), which is advised by the council, has been vital in funding “museums, historic sites, colleges, universities, K–12 teaching, libraries, public television and radio stations, research institutions, independent scholars, and to its humanities council affiliates in each of the nation’s 56 states and jurisdictions” to aid in the study of the humanities. Subjects include history, literature, linguistics, law, philosophy, archaeology, language, comparative religion, and ethics.
