Why the Statue of Liberty is at the heart of US culture wars

While neither Trump nor anyone in his administration has, as yet, publicly condemned Sherald’s painting or its representation of a black transgender woman, the organisers of her scheduled exhibition, which was due to open on 19 September, had reason to fear imminent repercussions to its funding should the work go on display. In March, barely two months into his second term, Trump signed an Executive Order entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”, which is aimed at curtailing financial support to museums and projects that, in its words, “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy”. Stating that the Smithsonian had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology”, Trump instructed US Vice-President JD Vance to enforce his order. It was only a matter of time before Sherald’s recasting of Lady Liberty as black and transgender would catch Vance’s eye.