1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

Defend Federal Art Against Trump Authoritarian Plunder The systematic purge of federally commissioned artwork from public spaces—exemplified by the removal of Kehinde Wiley’s piece from the U.S. Embassy under the guise of purging "woke" content—demands your immediate action. Labeling art as "woke" to justify its removal mirrors historical precedent: the 1930s Nazi suppression of "degenerate art" (Entartete Kunst). Authoritarian regimes have long sought to sanitize cultural institutions, eliminate diverse perspectives, and strip public collections of works that challenge state-sanctioned ideology. Weaponizing political buzzwords to erase government-owned art is a modern reflection of this state-sponsored censorship. Federal art collections are funded by taxpayer resources and belong entirely to the American public, not to any president or administration. Allowing executive officials to plunder, sell, or hide public art assets based on authoritarian dogma undermines democratic principles and degrades our shared cultural heritage. Enact strict oversight and protections to safeguard public art collections from ideological purges. Ensure that federally held artwork remains accessible to the public and protected from authoritarian censorship, sale, and destruction.