White House orders Smithsonian to align museums with Trump’s vision
The White House has initiated a review of Smithsonian Institution content in planning for the United States’ 250th birthday, aiming to ensure that exhibits align with President donald Trump’s vision of American history. Senior White House officials sent a letter to smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch requesting that the institution emphasize themes of unity, progress, and enduring American values. This directive stems from Trump’s executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which critiques the Smithsonian for allegedly promoting divisive, race-centered narratives that depict American and Western values negatively.
The review will cover public exhibition texts, online content, internal curatorial processes, exhibition planning, and the use of collections and grants, with particular focus on the upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations.The White House stressed that it does not intend to interfere with daily operations but seeks to support historically accurate and uplifting portrayals of America’s heritage. The Smithsonian has responded positively, affirming its commitment to scholarly excellence and expressing willingness to cooperate with the management while continuing to work with Congress and its Board of Regents.
White House orders Smithsonian content review to align museums with Trump’s vision
The White House will vet Smithsonian content ahead of the United States’s 250th birthday, ensuring its exhibits align with the administration’s historical vision.
White House senior associate Lindsey Halligan, Domestic Policy Council head Vince Haley, and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought sent a letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the Wall Street Journal reported. They wanted the institution to show “unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story.” The initiative is part of President Donald Trump’s March 27 executive order, ‘Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”
“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the president’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” the Tuesday letter read.
Trump had laid out his plan for the Smithsonian early in his second term, bemoaning in his aforementioned executive order that the institution had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” that promotes “narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.”
The executive order was used last week to announce the restoration of a statue of Albert Pike, the only statue of a Confederate general in Washington, D.C. The statue had been torn down by rioters in 2020.
As part of the Smithsonian overhaul, the White House will review public exhibition text, online content, internal curatorial processes, exhibition planning, and the use of collections and artist grants, according to the Wall Street Journal. Particular focus will be directed at the Smithsonian’s exhibitions celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. The White House’s letter requested that the institution choose a representative to work directly with the administration to plan the 250th anniversary festivities.
The letter stressed that the administration doesn’t intend to interfere with “day-to-day operations of curators or staff” but wants “to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage.”
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In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the Smithsonian said it would cooperate with the White House.
“The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” the institution said. “We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents.”
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