DOGE’s Quiet Coup: Why the Art and Museum World Is Bracing for a Federal Gutting

DOGE’s approach is calculated. Other departments, now mostly remote, were easily padlocked. IMLS staff’s refusal to go quietly highlights what’s really at stake: not bureaucratic bloat, but cultural infrastructure, public knowledge, and community trust.

And the new acting director? Sonderling, a labor lawyer with no background in museums or libraries, now holds dual roles in DOGE and the Department of Labor. His first email to staff emphasized “American exceptionalism and patriotism” — not access, not equity, not education.

This isn’t just about one agency. It’s a test case for how far the federal government is willing to go in dismantling public support for the arts, culture, and education. The IMLS may be the first domino.