The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 declared that the humanities are essential for enhancing America’s global leadership “in the realm of ideas and of the spirit,” and for supporting U.S. democracy, which “demands wisdom and vision in its citizens.”

The National Endowment for the Humanities was born from these declarations. It is the only federal agency dedicated to the humanities, encompassing history, literature, linguistics, law, philosophy, archaeology, language, comparative religion and ethics. Its companion agency, the National Endowment for the Arts, is the largest federal funder of the arts and arts education in the country, supporting communities to engage with and practice such creative work as painting, sculpture, music and dance.

The 1965 founding legislation captures the government’s original belief that the humanities are vital for the greater good of society, enabling citizens to flourish both as individuals and in their civic lives. The humanities embodied then — and still embody now — the high value Americans should place on preserving the nation’s cultural heritage and fostering respect for the diverse beliefs and values that define our nation.

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Exasperated by the turmoil that has dogged Pete Hegseth’s office in recent weeks, the White House will block the US defense secretary’s choice of chief of staff and select a candidate of its own, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Hegseth had suggested giving the chief of staff position to Marine Col Ricky Buria after the first person in the role, Joe Kasper, left last month in the wake of a contentious leak investigation that brought the ouster of three other senior aides.

But the White House has made clear to Hegseth that Buria will not be elevated to become his most senior aide at the Pentagon, the people said, casting Buria as a liability on account of his limited experience as a junior military assistant and his recurring role in internal office drama.

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Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said on the social platform X that Baraka committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave Delaney Hall, a detention facility run by private prison operator GEO Group.

The mayor has been protesting the opening of the facility throughout this week, saying its operators did not get proper permits.