Trump order a death blow to small federal agencies

Our nation offers places for us to observer, read about and digest information on a wide collection of topics and people. The places that offer this are our museums and libraries. As a nation, we are keenly aware those places of knowledge are a hallmark, indeed a symbol of free societies. Is our nation willing to continue its support of its museums and libraries?

The United States, has tens of thousands of museums, right up to the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. The same applies to the nation’s libraries, from our local library to the Library of Congress.

I spent a period of my life as a Museum Director. A small, corporate, non-profit museum. Primary operational funds came from the corporation. I sought and successfully received some local grant funds. We also received some federal funds via the U.S. Mint tied to the sale of a commemorative coin.

On March 14, I read about a specific Trump Executive Order (EO) and what it will do to a small federal agency. That agency is the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This independent federal agency assists with grants for libraires, archives and museums in all 50 states and U.S. Territories.

It was established by the Museum and Library Services Act, September 1996 (20 USC Ch. 72). With its founding, the Congress stated – “…great potential in an Institute that is focused on the combined roles that libraries and museums play in our community life.”

The recent Trump Executive Order addresses not only the Institute of Museum and Library Services, it lists several other federal agencies that will receive a whacking from the hammer and sickle.

Here is the wording from the Trump EO dated March 14, 2025: “…the non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law.”

This section of Trump EO is the coup de grace of these agencies. “In reviewing budget requests submitted by the governmental entities listed in subsection (a) of this section, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget or the head of any executive department or agency charged with reviewing grant requests by such entities shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law and except insofar as necessary to effectuate an expected termination, reject funding requests for such governmental entities to the extent they are inconsistent with this order.”

The current administration has already placed a new acting director in the Institute of Museum and Library Services. His mission is to, “effectuate an expected termination,” as the above EO states. Though, reading his appointment press release you enter a hall of mirrors. Here is a part of the press release: “I am committed to steering this organization in lockstep with this Administration to enhance efficiency and foster innovation,” said Acting Director Sonderling. In other words, let’s kill off those little agencies that we deem unimportant. “Lockstep” is an interesting word choice. Here’s the definition: “a standard method or procedure that is mindlessly adhered to or that minimizes individuality.”

Those tens of thousands of museums and libraires that populate our nation will be hit. Apparently, “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” was running outrageously unconstrained throughout the nation’s museums and libraries. I say apparently, because no one in this administration has offered any evidence to prove it. Then again evidence seems not to be a requirement for the hammer and sickle to whack away. Don’t be surprised when libraries and museums approach their communities asking for a monthly tithe.