White House Reviews Smithsonian Museums for 'Divisive Narratives'
The review is the latest pressure campaign by President Donald Trump's administration as part of his war on "woke" racial and gender viewpoints, and follows similar moves to assert unprecedented control over American cultural institutions since his second term began in January.
An independent organisation which receives public funding, the Smithsonian is one of America's most hallowed institutions, with its vast network of museums boasting tens of millions of artefacts for public display.
A letter to the institution's secretary, Lonnie Bunch, published on the White House website on Tuesday, said the administration would carry out a "comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions."
"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," said the letter, signed by three senior White House officials.
It will target eight major museums, including the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Museum of the American Indian, the letter said.
The review follows an executive order from Trump in March on "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," and aims to assess "tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals" across museum content ahead of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding next year.
Last month, the removal by the American History Museum of a sign referring to Trump's two impeachments sparked controversy and worries over White House intervention, before an exhibit update restored mention of the proceedings.
The Smithsonian denied any involvement of the Trump administration in the exhibit changes.
In its letter, the White House officials thanked Smithsonian chief Bunch for a recent "brief tour" of several museums.
The Smithsonian's independent status means the Trump administration does not directly oversee its functions, though the White House could seek to pressure the organisation through threats to its funding.
The White House letter "requests" that the museums submit extensive documentation -- including exhibition plans, wall text, educational materials, grant information and internal guidelines -- within 30 days.
According to the White House's timeline, within 120 days, the museums "should begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions."
The Smithsonian said in a statement to AFP on Wednesday that its "work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history."
"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," it said.
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