Overview
- The Senate approved Carter's nomination by a 53–43 party-line vote to return her to the National Endowment for the Arts.
- Carter, who led the NEA in Trump's first term and served as acting chair this year, succeeds Maria Rosario Jackson and says she will continue the Creative Forces veterans program and semiquincentennial efforts.
- The NEA announced 50 'American Heroes' grants totaling $1.25 million, and the agency is reportedly planning to devote upwards of $17 million to the 'Garden of American Heroes' project.
- Since Trump's return, the administration has proposed eliminating the NEA as the Department of Government Efficiency cut staff and canceled or rescinded previously approved grants.
- A federal judge in September ruled unconstitutional an NEA policy that sought to enforce compliance with an executive order targeting so‑called 'gender ideology' in federally funded programs.