Trump’s First 100 Days: The Remaking of America’s Cultural, Artistic, and Academic Landscape

The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second administration have been marked by significant upheaval in the realms of culture and education. With a series of executive orders and strategic maneuvers, Trump has demonstrated a keen ability to consolidate power and influence American institutions, particularly those in Washington, D.C.

The Threat to Cultural Institutions

While executive orders cannot directly override constitutional principles like freedom of speech, they can create an environment of fear and compliance. Cultural and academic organizations are facing unprecedented pressure, not only from proposed funding cuts but also from potential restrictions on programming and increased government oversight. This situation is particularly dire for institutions based in the nation’s capital, where the influence of the White House is most palpable.

A recent flashpoint has been the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which canceled its multi-day Tapestry of Pride program and other events for Pride Month. This decision came shortly after Trump appointed himself as chairman of the institution. Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president of public relations, claimed the cancellations were due to “lack of sales or artist availability.” However, the timing raises suspicions about a more deliberate political agenda.

Executive Orders and Historical Narratives

In March, Trump issued an executive order targeting the Smithsonian’s network of museums, under the banner of “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” This directive aims to eliminate what the administration deems “improper ideology” from exhibitions, labeling certain shows as “divisive” and “corrosive.” The order specifically calls out the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s exhibition The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture, indicating a desire to control how American history is narrated.

Trump’s rhetoric echoes that of authoritarian regimes, suggesting a concerted effort to rewrite history in a way that aligns with a singular, often exclusionary, vision. The order claims that the Smithsonian has succumbed to a “divisive, race-centered ideology,” which it argues has deepened societal rifts and distorted the portrayal of American values.

The Ideological Shift in American Art

The termination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs has been one of Trump’s early actions, signaling a rollback of progress made in recent decades toward more inclusive cultural institutions. While the order formally applies to government-funded entities, its ideological implications extend to private organizations as well. This shift supports a narrative that aligns with Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ mantra, raising questions about who benefits from this “greatness.”

At the heart of this ideological reinforcement is the proposed National Garden of American Heroes, a sculpture park intended to canonize a selective vision of American history ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. This initiative has been framed as a patriotic corrective, yet it comes at the cost of significant cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, which has had to lay off a large portion of its staff and cancel numerous cultural project grants.

The Impact on Academic Freedom

The wave of federal rollbacks has also extended into education and academic research. Universities across the U.S. have faced successive funding cuts, prompting leaders from top institutions to form coalitions aimed at resisting what they describe as a sustained campaign against academic freedom. This coalition emphasizes the importance of institutional control over curricula, programming, and hiring practices, particularly concerning international students.

Even prestigious institutions like Harvard have reportedly faced threats to their ability to enroll international students and hire faculty from abroad due to funding cuts linked to DEI programs. Other universities, such as Cornell and Northwestern, have experienced significant freezes in federal support, while Columbia University has seen a $400 million funding reduction.

In a dramatic move, the administration announced the dissolution of the Department of Education via executive order, framing it as a step toward restoring state control over American schooling. This action effectively dismantles federal oversight of the education system, raising alarms about the future of academic autonomy.

Aesthetic Mandates and Authoritarian Echoes

Trump’s cultural agenda has also manifested in aesthetic mandates, such as his order requiring the use of “classical architecture” for new federal buildings. This directive has drawn comparisons to the architectural rhetoric of historical authoritarian figures, who similarly promoted classical styles as a means of asserting power. The reinstatement of the 2020 memorandum “Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture” instructs that federal buildings should adhere to a “classical style” that “commands public admiration,” raising concerns about the political implications of such a stylistic preference.

As the first 100 days of Trump’s second administration unfold, the cultural landscape of America is undergoing a profound transformation. The implications of these changes extend far beyond the immediate realm of politics, threatening the very foundations of artistic expression and academic inquiry.