Executive Order Created by President Trump Calls for a Review of Smithsonian Museums
The Smithsonian Institution Building on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Photo by David Berkowitz via Wikimedia Commons
The Smithsonian Institution has been placed at the center of a recent controversy as the Trump administration has called for a "comprehensive review” of many of its museums and their exhibitions.
This coincides with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on March 27, entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which aims to “remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched records of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing,” through a review of how history is presented at United States museums and national parks.
This campaign is especially pressing to the Trump administration as the United States nears its 250th anniversary in 2026, which will attract many visitors to the Nation’s Capital.
This movement to reassess the Smithsonian’s current state stems from President Trump’s belief that a “distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth” has influenced the institution.
Trump accuses the Smithsonian of presenting United States history in a way that is “inherently, racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed,” which could potentially be a breeding ground for polarizing museum attendees, despite the Smithsonian’s intent to explore various historical perspectives through their exhibitions.
A letter issued on Aug. 12 from members of Trump’s cabinet to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III laid out the administration’s plan to conduct their examination of several museums and what they intend to observe with these reviews.
The letter states that an in-depth review of all museum content presented to the public will occur in addition to a reevaluation of the Smithsonian’s original mission to examine how it aligns with their current exhibitions.
Additionally, the letter emphasizes the administration’s intentions to pay close attention to the exhibitions the museums plan to display during the 250th anniversary of the country, attempting to combat certain narratives about the US and the birth of the nation.
Eight museums have been selected as the first to undergo the process of review: The National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Trump stated that he intends for more museums to be reviewed in phases after the initial eight.
The letter to Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III provides a timeline of the evaluation process and stated that a final report of the view could be available by early 2026 if all the guidelines provided by the Trump administration are correct.
The White House released an article on Aug. 21 called “President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian,” corroborating the president’s claims about the museums. The article hones in on particular art pieces among many of the museums that explore LGBTQ+ identity, race, feminism and many other topics.
This new implementation of reviewing the historical and cultural institutions that make up the Smithsonian has sparked debate about the ethics of possibly altering historical narratives by placing museums under harsh scrutiny and restrictive guidelines.
The American Historical Association responded to Trump’s executive order in a statement entitled “Historians Defend the Smithsonian.” In the statement, the organization emphasizes that historians study the past in a way that explores multiple perspectives, not just from a singular lens.
An excerpt from the official statement from the AHA released on Aug. 15 reads, “Historians explore the past to understand how our nation has evolved. We draw on a wide range of sources, which helps us to understand history from different angles of vision. Our goal is neither criticism nor celebration; it is to understand—to increase our knowledge of—the past in ways that can help Americans to shape the future.”
Others have expressed their agreement with President Trump, claiming that his review of the Smithsonian is long overdue and that it tackles the “wokeness” that exists within museums.
In the article titled “Smithsonian’s American History Museum Is Wall-To-Wall Anti-American Propaganda,” author Breccan F. Theis of The Federalist states that museums, especially under the Biden administration, “are adorned with gay ‘pride' flags and exhibits are filled with pseudo-history or history that is framed dishonestly — seemingly in an attempt to degrade the American experience.”
The two schools of thought that have emerged as a result of Trump’s executive order create an interesting dynamic in the discussion surrounding historical narratives and the message behind art.
The uncertainty of how the Smithsonian will look in the near future is in the hands of the Trump administration, and with the eve of the nation’s 250th anniversary upon us, the possibility of an entire revamping of the Smithsonian could slowly become a reality.