Legal Action
Woodmere Art Museum, Inc. v. Trump
Filed in: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Summary
A Philadelphia museum filed suit challenging the termination of its $750,000 Save America’s Treasures grant, awarded in September 2024, after the Trump-Vance administration’s ordered the Institute of Museum and Library Services to cut all programs not required by statute and to scale down its legally mandated functions and staff to the bare minimum. The complaint contends that these actions violate the Appropriations Clause, the Separation of Powers, the Take Care Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act. It also argues that the defendants acted beyond their legal authority, or ultra vires.
Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the action in its entirety on September 5, 2025.
Plaintiffs
- Woodmere Art Museum, Inc.
Plaintiffs' Counsel
- Eastburn and Gray, PC
Defendants
- President Donald J. Trump
- Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Acting Director Keith Sonderling
- U.S. Office of Management and Budget
- Director Russell Vought