Overview

• DHS continues to feature John Gast’s “American Progress” on its official social media channels with the caption “A Heritage to be proud of, a Homeland worth Defending,” even after artists demanded its removal.
• Morgan Weistling and the Thomas Kinkade Family Foundation have threatened lawsuits over unauthorized use of their works, accusing DHS of exploiting nostalgic art to promote division and xenophobia.
• Observers and legal experts allege the captions embed white supremacist dog whistles through unusual capitalization and a 14-word count that echo “HH” and the “14 Words” malevolent creed.
• The Department of Homeland Security has defended its art campaign in a formal statement, asserting it “honors artwork that celebrates America’s heritage and history” and refusing to take down any contested images.
• Critics warn that this high-volume, provocative art strategy under Secretary Kristi Noem marks a stark departure from the agency’s previous neutral messaging toward coded nationalist propaganda.