Story perspectives

Musk's DOGE Cuts 1,400 NEH Grants Amid Controversy

3/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut 1,400 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants totaling millions.
Staff Justin Fox and Nathan Cavanaugh, lacking government experience, relied on ChatGPT and judgments to assess grants.
During depositions, Fox admitted to a narrow interpretation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) based on Trump's executive order.
Despite the cuts, DOGE did not reduce federal spending as intended.

History

Historical Context

In 2017, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) faced a $2 million budget cut, part of a broader trend under the Trump administration that proposed $54 billion in federal cuts. In 2025, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency further reduced NEH funding by cutting 1,400 grants, raising concerns about the future of cultural and educational support in the U.S.

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Story summary

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut 1,400 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grants totaling millions.
Staff Justin Fox and Nathan Cavanaugh, lacking government experience, relied on ChatGPT and judgments to assess grants.
During depositions, Fox admitted to a narrow interpretation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) based on Trump's executive order.
Despite the cuts, DOGE did not reduce federal spending as intended.

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