The White House has ordered a comprehensive review of Smithsonian Institution museums and exhibits to ensure alignment with President Donald Trump’s vision of American history, particularly focusing on celebrating ‘American exceptionalism’ while removing perceived divisive narratives. This initiative comes ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations and follows Trump’s executive order demanding cultural institutions promote a unified historical perspective.
The Trump administration formally directed the review in an August 12, 2025 letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III. The directive mandates examination of all public-facing content including exhibition texts, educational materials, and social media across eight key museums. These include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, National Museum of American History, and other flagship institutions.
The explicit goal outlined in the White House correspondence is to enforce Trump’s ‘Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History’ executive order signed earlier in 2025. That order accused the Smithsonian of promoting ‘divisive, race-centered ideology’ and demanded removal of ‘improper ideology’ from exhibits. Administration officials characterize the review as necessary to restore public confidence in cultural institutions through ‘historically accurate, uplifting portrayals’ of America’s heritage.
Initial implementation requires Smithsonian museums to submit exhibition materials within 30 days for White House evaluation. Within 120 days, institutions must implement ‘corrective actions’ to replace language deemed divisive with content emphasizing national unity. The review will prioritize museums most central to American history narratives before expanding to other Smithsonian facilities in subsequent phases.
Civil rights organizations have criticized the directive as politically motivated historical revisionism, particularly objecting to the special scrutiny of African American and Native American museums. They argue this effort minimizes systemic racism and marginalized communities’ contributions. The Smithsonian responded by reaffirming commitment to ‘scholarly excellence and rigorous research’ while pledging to review the administration’s demands.
This action continues Trump’s pattern of intervening in cultural institutions, following his recent takeover of the Kennedy Center board and programming decisions. Museum professionals express concern about political interference in scholarly work, noting the Smithsonian recently removed references to Trump’s impeachments from presidential exhibits. Administration officials counter that they seek only to balance narratives they consider disproportionately negative.
The immediate impact places Smithsonian curators in a challenging position between academic integrity and federal compliance. With the 250th anniversary of American independence approaching, the review sets the stage for potentially contentious reinterpretations of foundational events. Museum leadership must now navigate demands that could reshape how millions of annual visitors encounter American history.
Looking forward, the 120-day correction window could trigger exhibit modifications before the 2026 semiquincentennial celebrations. Legal scholars note this represents an unprecedented executive branch intervention in museum content, potentially testing institutional autonomy protections. The outcome may establish new precedents for government influence over cultural narratives during future administrations.
