The National Endowment for the Arts has a new chair: Mary Anne Carter, the same political operative who served in the post during Trump’s first term. The Senate voted this morning to confirm her along party lines, by a 53–43 margin.
In keeping with his tendency to appoint agency heads who either lack subject-matter expertise or are openly hostile to the missions they are meant to support, Trump has reappointed a controversial pick with no other professional experience in the arts and a record as a reliable supporter of Republican politicians. Carter also worked in the 1990s for the Heritage Foundation, the right-wing think tank that authored Project 2025, the extremist policy blueprint that has shaped Trump’s second term.
Trump nominated Carter as far back as May, as ARTnews reported, noting that her nomination came during a tumultuous moment for the NEA, which the Trump administration was seeking to defund. Senior NEA leaders reportedly left the agency en masse. At the same moment, hundreds of arts organizations were receiving mass emails saying that their promised NEA grants were cut, supposedly because they did not align with the new administration’s priorities. Many of those grants were meant to reimburse the organizations for money that had already been spent, as is typical with these grants, so the museums and other arts nonprofits were left in the lurch. Some were later restored.
The agency also urged applicants in its Grants for Arts category in February to propose initiatives that “celebrate and honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.” Under the updated guidelines, the NEA “continues to encourage projects that celebrate the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity by honoring the semiquincentennial of the United States of America (America250).”
The building that houses the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Photo Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images
“I am once again deeply honored to serve as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts,” said Carter. “I am committed to advancing the vision that the arts belong to all Americans, no matter who they are or where they live. The arts are essential to creating, innovating, healing, and recovery, and they provide vital economic stability to communities across the nation. I look forward to the many celebrations that will take place in 2026 in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, as well as to the agency’s continued research into the powerful role the arts play in healing—from illness to trauma to natural disasters.”
Among the nay votes were all the Democratic senators from New York and California, two states with especially robust arts economies. Neither New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand nor California senator Adam Schiff—all frequent critics of Trump’s administration—immediately responded to requests for comment.
Press materials announcing Carter’s appointment include quotes from prominent figures in the field. One, from Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts, congratulates Carter but notably omits a more skeptical passage from a statement Harkey distributed separately.
“This critical agency is at a crossroads,” says Harkey. “Partisan political pressure, a lack of transparency, and constant threats of funding cuts threaten creative freedom and endanger artistic communities nationwide. We look forward to Chair Carter bringing greater stability and transparency to the NEA, helping to restore trust between the federal government and the arts sector, and securing meaningful Congressional support. Anything short of the Senate’s proposed $207 million would jeopardize vital programs across districts, particularly in rural communities and the nearly 700 counties that receive NEA funding but no private investment.”
Carter touts a long list of achievements from her first term, including budget increases for four straight years. She says she expanded outreach to underserved communities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Native American groups, and folk artists. She also points to strengthened relationships with U.S. governors, mayors, chambers of commerce, and leaders in the medical field.
In 2019, Carter was confirmed via voice vote, a procedure in which individual votes are not recorded, leaving the margin of that vote unknown. Her LinkedIn page indicates that she was unanimously confirmed. The agency did not respond to an email requesting clarification.
Carter has operated MAC Research, a consulting firm active in political and public affairs, for 27 years. She previously served as chief policy adviser to Florida Republican governor Rick Scott after directing his transition committee. From 1996 to 1998, she was director of U.S. Senate relations for the Heritage Foundation. From 2003 to 2006, she cohosted the talk radio show Voice South, which brought a “southern flavor” to political issues.
