This is just nuts…

White House Targets Smithsonian Museums

BY MERIDITH MCGRAW

The Wall Street Journal
Aug 13, 2025
Exhibits, materials will have to align with Trump’s views of U.S. exceptionalism

The White House plans to conduct a far-reaching review of Smithsonian museum exhibitions, materials and operations ahead of America’s 250th anniversary to ensure the museums align with President Trump’s interpretation of American history.


In a letter sent to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, three top White House officials said they want to ensure the museums present the “unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story” and reflect the president’s executive order calling for “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”


Areas under scrutiny range from public-facing exhibition text and online content to internal curatorial processes, exhibition planning, the use of collections and artist grants.


“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 letter states.


The letter, dated Aug. 12 and viewed by The Wall Street Journal, was signed by White House senior associate Lindsey Halligan, the director of the domestic policy council, Vince Haley, and the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought.


“This is about preserving trust in one of our most cherished institutions,” Halligan said. “The Smithsonian museums and exhibits should be accurate, patriotic and enlightening.”


“The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” a Smithsonian spokesperson 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.”


The White House review of the Smithsonian’s massive collection of art and historical artifacts comes as the president has sought to reorient the country’s cultural institutions, including top universities, and demonstrates Trump’s efforts to recast parts of American history in a more positive light.


The Smithsonian’s Board of Regents agreed to conduct a thorough review of all its museum and zoo content to eliminate political influence and bias, the Journal previously reported.


Sarah Weicksel, executive director of the American Historical Association, said the White House’s effort was an affront to the historians and curators trained to ensure historical accuracy.


“If those things are taken out of the hands of historians, the public stands to lose a great deal in having reliable and engaging content that tells a whole and complex story of the American past,” she said.


The president singled out the Smithsonian Institution in his executive order and said the Smithsonian had recently “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” that promotes “narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.” He directed Vice President JD Vance, a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, and senior officials to work with Congress to block the Smithsonian from receiving appropriations for exhibitions and programs that don’t align with his opposition to initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.


Tiya Miles, a professor of history at Harvard University, said she was concerned that the Smithsonian would be asked to interpret history based on “one man’s view” as opposed to scholarship and research.


“The Smithsonian museums have never reflected one person’s view, or even one administration’s view,” Miles said. “They have reflected the composite research, analysis, discussion, findings of many different people, scholars and researchers.”


The White House review will pay attention to exhibits planned for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.


Following the review, the White House letter states that museums should make corrections that replace “divisive or ideologically driven” language with “unifying, historically accurate” public-facing materials.


The details requested by the White House go beyond museum exhibitions and extend to organization charts, responses to visitor surveys, artists featured in galleries who have received a Smithsonian grant, a list of outside partners and internal communications related to exhibit and artwork selection and approval.


The White House letter stated the review is expected to wrap at the beginning of 2026.

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