When Governments Try to Control Art

Governments have tried to use art and culture to spread their ideas for a very long time. In the United States, President Donald Trump has taken some of the most visible steps to shape what Americans see in museums, buildings, and public spaces. Writers and historians are now asking how much influence a government should have over art — and what happens when it goes too far.

The writer George Orwell had strong opinions about government-controlled art. In a 1947 essay, he argued that authoritarian regimes — governments that don't allow much freedom — try to invent their own version of history instead of telling the truth. He believed this made their art weak and short-lived. Art made in free societies, he said, lasts longer because it is honest and comes from real life.

The Soviet Union is a well-known example of government art gone wrong. The Communist Party created posters and films meant to show how great life was under communism. They featured strong workers, big harvests, and upbeat music. But many people who saw these images knew that real life looked nothing like that. Writer Anne Applebaum has noted that citizens could feel the gap between the cheerful propaganda and their own hard lives.

That doesn't mean propaganda never works. Governments have used art as a powerful tool, especially once radio, film, and TV made it easy to reach millions of people at once. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson created a government group that made the famous 'I Want You' posters of Uncle Sam to encourage men to join the military. During World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's government used images like Rosie the Riveter to encourage women to take on factory jobs while men were overseas fighting.

President Trump's approach to art and culture has been hard to miss. He has pushed for grand, gold-covered buildings and monuments. One project, nicknamed the 'Arc de Trump,' could become the tallest triumphal arch in the world, featuring gold letters and gilded statues. Trump also put his name on the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and declared himself its chairman, announcing a 'Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture.'

Trump also tried to change what museums could say. He signed an executive order telling cultural institutions to 'restore truth and sanity to American history.' He directed Vice President J. D. Vance to remove what he called 'improper ideology' from the Smithsonian Institution, which runs many of the country's most important museums. A few months later, his administration launched a review to get rid of what it called 'divisive or partisan narratives' from Smithsonian exhibits.

Still, art and artists are pushing back. Some artists have canceled their shows at the Smithsonian to protest the pressure. Others have found ways to keep telling stories the administration wants gone. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch said in March that he has not allowed anything to be changed — though some reports suggest he may be thinking about stepping down.

The biggest threat from the administration right now is money. The government has hinted it could cut funding to museums and artists that don't follow its vision. As Orwell once wrote, 'the imagination, like certain wild animals, will not breed in captivity.' Free expression in the United States has survived political pressure before, but the current moment is testing just how strong that freedom really is.