The White House is taking aim at the Smithsonian Institution with a sharp critique of what it calls divisive and overly progressive exhibits.
According to Newsweek, in a bold move, President Donald Trump’s administration released a detailed list on Thursday, targeting several Smithsonian displays across seven museums for promoting what they see as a woke agenda centered on race, slavery, immigration, and transgender issues, while announcing a sweeping review of the institution to realign its cultural narrative.
This isn’t a sudden outburst; the groundwork was laid in March when Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” accusing the Smithsonian of pushing a race-focused ideology that needs correction.
Last week, the White House doubled down by launching a comprehensive review of the Smithsonian, signaling a determined effort to reshape how history is presented in these iconic museums.
Trump himself reinforced this mission with a fiery Truth Social post this week, lamenting that the Smithsonian focuses too heavily on national shortcomings rather than achievements. “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL,” he declared, promising swift action to refocus on success and optimism.
Well, that’s a rallying cry if ever there was one—though one wonders if history can truly be told without its darker chapters.
The White House list, provocatively titled “President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian,” draws inspiration from a conservative Federalist article and zeroes in on exhibits like a National Museum of African American History and Culture series on white culture, which it claims paints “whiteness” as inherently privileged.
It also slams a 2020 infographic from the museum’s race portal that linked traits like hard work and individualism to “whiteness”—a graphic so controversial the museum pulled it after public outcry and issued an apology. Apparently, some history lessons are tougher to display than others without stepping on ideological toes.
Over at the National Museum of the American Latino, a temporary gallery is criticized for featuring animated characters with disabilities and content spotlighting identities described as “Latinx, LGBTQ+, and disabled,” which the White House finds overly agenda-driven.
The National Museum of American History doesn’t escape scrutiny either, with objections to an intersex-inclusive pride flag at its entrance and an exhibit on LGBTQ+ history, alongside a Benjamin Franklin display accused of fixating on slavery over other aspects of his legacy.
Even a Title IX anniversary exhibit draws ire for including content on transgender athletes competing in sports categories aligned with their gender identity rather than biological sex—a hot-button issue that’s sure to keep debates simmering.
At the National Portrait Gallery, the White House takes issue with a painting titled “Refugees Crossing the Border Wall Into South Texas,” arguing it glorifies unauthorized border crossings, and a stop-motion animation of Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key figure in Trump’s COVID-19 response.
Meanwhile, a letter sent on August 12 to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch demands changes within 120 days, with the review possibly wrapping up by early 2026, signaling that this cultural clash isn’t a passing storm. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told Newsweek, “Taxpayer money should not be used for things that pit Americans against one another.”
That’s a fair point for fiscal conservatives, but isn’t history itself often a battleground of conflicting truths? Let’s hope the Smithsonian’s response, which emphasizes scholarly rigor and factual accuracy in a statement to Newsweek, can bridge this divide as they collaborate with the administration and Congress.
