White House Launches Smithsonian Review To 'Ensure Alignment'
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The White House has announced a review of some Smithsonian Institution museums to "ensure alignment" with President Donald Trump's goals.
Newsweek has contacted the Smithsonian for comment via email outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
In March, Trump signed an executive order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," to eliminate what his administration described as "improper ideology" across all branches of the Smithsonian—including its museums, research centers, educational initiatives and the National Zoo. The move sparked backlash online and from museum volunteers.
In July, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History removed references to Trump's two impeachments from its exhibit on presidential impeachments, prompting a debate about historical accuracy and political influence on public institutions.
A Smithsonian Institution sign on the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on March 28.
A Smithsonian Institution sign on the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on March 28.What To Know
A letter dated August 12 and addressed to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch said the White House would be leading "a comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions."
According to the letter, the review is timed to coincide with next year's celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being signed.
The letter described the review as a "constructive and collaborative effort," adding that it would focus on key areas such as public-facing content, the curatorial process, exhibition planning, collection use and narrative standards.
The letter also said the initial review would focus on the following museums: National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
These are not the only museums being reviewed. The letter said additional museums would be reviewed in "Phase II."
While the Smithsonian is independent of the government, it receives funding from Congress.
As with Trump's March executive order, the review has received backlash online. Some social media users have raised concerns about the level of government intervention with the museums.
What People Are Saying
The White House's letter to the Smithsonian said: "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."
President Donald Trump wrote in his March executive order: "Museums in our Nation's capital should be places where individuals go to learn—not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history. To advance this policy, we will restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness."
Karly Kingsley, a media personality, wrote on X in a post viewed more than 200,000 times: "We're suspending the jobs report so you don't see how bad the numbers are, auditing the Smithsonian to match Trump's politics, fighting over gerrymandering the map, and deploying the military into cities. This isn't governance anymore. It's authoritarianism in plain sight."
Journalist Dan Friedman wrote on X in a post viewed more than 40,000 times: "The White House pressuring the Smithsonian to 'eliminate political influence' from its presentation of history is some freaky Orwellian s***."
What Happens Next
The letter includes a 30-, 75- and 120-day implementation timeline. By the 120-day mark, "museums should begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials."
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