Trump Budget Proposes Ending Federal Library and Museum Funding

President Trump seeks to eliminate nearly all federal funding for libraries and museums by fiscal 2027, requesting only $6 million for closure expenses compared to the $292 million appropriated in fiscal 2026.

The administration has proposed eliminating funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary federal source supporting libraries and museums nationwide. This structural shift threatens a key agency created by Congress in 1996 to sustain cultural institutions.

For fiscal 2027, the budget request includes $6 million solely for closing expenses, a sharp contrast to the $292 million appropriated in fiscal 2026. Congressional leaders, including Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Rep. Robert Aderholt, have expressed caution, recalling previous rejections of similar cuts. The Department of Justice recently settled with the American Library Association and a major union of cultural workers, and dropped an appeal in a case brought by 21 attorneys general challenging efforts to dismantle the IMLS. Advocacy groups such as the American Library Association and EveryLibrary strongly oppose the proposal, expressing concern about its impact on communities.

Congressional appropriators will now review the president’s request as they draft fiscal 2027 appropriations bills.

If federal support wanes, states with vast rural regions and dispersed populations, such as Montana, could face increased challenges. Reduced IMLS funding might strain local libraries and museums that rely on these grants, potentially impacting cultural access and educational resources in affected areas.

Trump’s budget would gut local libraries and museums. Congress is not on board. • Daily Montanan
By Daily Montanan