The Wilson Center, on Pennsylvaia Avenue, Washington, DC.

Congresswoman Chellie PIngree (D-Me) , the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommitee that overseas the Washingtin, DC based Wilson Center, released the following statement late last week in response to the Trump administration’s decision to abruptly fire more than 100 employees at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars. a critical foreign-policy think tank:

“The illegal closure of the Wilson Center is the latest public-private partnership to be dismantled by the Trump administration.  Congress created this institution to advance independent thinking and thoughtful debate.  President Trump has shuttered a renowned Center for scholarly research and a forum for undertstanding and exploring current public policy challenges.  At a tme when the President himself is focused on the national and international security implications of Greenland, the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute ——- the premier Arctic policy institute in the country —— is more important than ever.

Unless this action is reversed, our country——-and our policy makers ——-will lose a valuable resource that bridges the world of learning with the world of public affairs,” concluded the Congresswoman’s statement.

UPDATE:  April 7, 2025 The following is a message received from the Wilson Center this afternoon:

Wilson Center is complying with a March 14th Executive Order to reduce to its minimum statutoy functions.  As a result, we are no longer continuing with planned Wilson Center programming and activities.  The Wilson Center will maintain a few fellowships to continue our statutory mandate to produce scholarship-driven analysis to inform and support public policy.