Federal Judge Declines to Rule Against NEA over ‘Gender Ideology’ Funding Ban

‘Granting a preliminary injunction in these circumstances would impose significant hardship on the NEA,’ the judge said.

President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 20, 2025. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

A federal judge on Thursday denied a motion to stop the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) from blocking funds for art projects that promote “gender ideology,” because the agency is no longer implementing the certification requirement.

U.S. District Judge William Smith in Providence, Rhode Island, denied a motion filed by several arts and theater groups seeking a preliminary injunction.