During the Cold War, modern art became a weapon in the cultural battle for “hearts and minds.” The US government, including the State Department and CIA, supported exhibitions of American art around the world, using it to symbolize American cultural freedom and creativity compared to Soviet repression. As part of this effort, MoMA served as a front organization and conduit for funding. The CIA even created the Congress for Cultural Freedom, which was designed to counter Soviet propaganda and show the virtues of Western democracy. However, American modern art was not universally popular and encountered opposition from some American politicians and the public.
https://daily.jstor.org/was-modern-art-really-a-cia-psy-op/