Daisy Rockwell, granddaughter of Norman Rockwell, stated in an interview with the Bulwark that her grandfather was "antifa," pushing back against recent uses of his paintings by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Over the summer, DHS posted cropped and edited versions of Rockwell's works, including "Salute the Flag" (1971) and "Working on the Statue of Liberty" (1946), with captions urging readers to "protect your homeland" and "defend your culture." The Rockwell family had already publicly rebutted these posts in a USA Today op-ed, arguing that Rockwell would have been "devastated" to see his art used to promote persecution of immigrant communities and people of color.
The controversy matters because it highlights a broader cultural battle over the political legacy of Norman Rockwell, whose idyllic depictions of small-town America have often been co-opted by conservative movements. Daisy Rockwell's explicit claim that her grandfather was "antifa" challenges the prevailing conservative framing of his work, while also raising questions about the selective appropriation of art for political messaging. The incident underscores how historical artworks can be weaponized in contemporary culture wars, especially when government agencies like DHS use them to advance specific ideological narratives.