The Trump administration’s questionably legal cuts to federal programs have created a half-million dollar shortfall for the Strong National Museum of Play.
According to an email sent by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (passing on a message “from our friends” at the Museum), the organization learned last month that two of its federal grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) were “terminated” following executive orders by President Trump “downsizing” these agencies.
These executive orders were preceded by mass firings at both agencies executed in part by the Elon Musk-helmed “Department of Government Efficiency.” Because the Department was not created by the United States Congress, its dramatic cuts to the federal government have been repeatedly challenged in court.
Cuts like those faced by the Strong Museum have also been challenged for being unconstitutional under the argument that Congress—not the Executive Branch—already funded these programs and agencies in the 2024 spending bill.
Shane Rhinewald, communications director for the Strong Museum, confirmed the cuts in an email to Game Developer. He explained that the two grants were were meant to fund upcoming exhibits: one called “Beyond the Buzzer: Game Shows in America” funded by the NEH, and a collections preservation project related to “important toy catalogues.”
“Neither grant affects the regular operating budget of the museum,” Rhinewald stated. “Despite the funding setback, the museum still intends to complete both projects, though the size, scope, and timeline may be affected if the funding gap isn’t closed through other means, including donations, other grant opportunities, and industry support.”
The two government organizations previously funded other exhibits at the Strong Museum, including the ESL Digital Worlds exhibits which house the World Video Game Hall of Fame.
Though the President Trump and his administration have not made any direct comments or regulatory actions targeting the video game industry, its actions have repeatedly harmed companies and workers alike.
In February 2025 a Massachusetts game developer joined a class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration over its reversal of an existing policy to allow US citizens to obtain passports affirming their gender identities. This developer argued that the administration’s actions impacted their ability to travel internationally to work in-person with their colleagues.
Meanwhile, the administration’s on-again off-again tariffs have rattled the world of video game hardware—a move that would be stressful on any given year, but made more potentially dramatic thanks to the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. Elsewhere, Sony stated it is considering passing the cost of tariffs onto consumers for its electronic hardware (including the PlayStation 5 lineup), and Microsoft announced a first-ever price increase to its Xbox consoles following the tariff announcements.
The Entertainment Software Association publicly warned the world in February 2025 that these tariffs would have a “negative impact” on the video game business.
Finally, there is of course the continued rollout of policies and proposed legislation aligned with Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation-backed initiative that proposes cutting labor law enforcement, civil rights protections, and beyond.
Game Developer has reached out to the IMLS and NEH and will update this story when a comment is issued.
