musems worried trump will end major tax deduction funding 1234755740

French museums are alarmed that the Trump administration may eliminate a key tax deduction mechanism known as the “equivalency determination,” which allows foreign organizations to receive tax-deductible donations from American patrons. This status is critical for museum-affiliated “American Friends” groups, such as the American Friends of the Musée d’Orsay and the American Friends of the Louvre, which raised $10 million for the Louvre last year alone. The concern follows reports that the administration is considering the move as part of a broader crackdown on tax-exempt nonprofits. Lionel Sauvage, president of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, noted that about one-third of his museum’s annual donations—over $2 million—come from American donors, though he believes emotional attachment to French culture will sustain giving.