President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to restore removed U.S. monuments and reshape the direction of museums and cultural institutions.
According to the Daily Caller, the order targets the reinstatement of monuments removed during Joe Biden’s presidency and seeks to eliminate "anti-American ideology" from institutions while reversing diversity initiatives.
This directive, announced Thursday, charges federal agencies with restoring monuments that were taken down after January 2020. Among those to be reinstated is the Confederate Reconciliation Monument at Arlington National Cemetery, which was dismantled in 2023. The move follows recommendations from a congressionally established Naming Commission that gained momentum following social unrest after George Floyd’s death.
The order specifically directs the interior secretary to reinstate historical markers that officials removed or destroyed. Additionally, it tasks Vice President JD Vance with re-evaluating and potentially reversing "divisive" DEI programs at notable institutions, including the Smithsonian. The order also extends to federal sites, covering Civil War battlefields, presidential sites, and locations under the National Park Service.
President Trump’s order restricts funding, prohibiting the use of taxpayer money for exhibitions that officials perceive as undermining "shared American values" or promoting race-based narratives not aligned with federal laws. This financial directive aims to influence how public-funded spaces present cultural narratives.
The Confederate Reconciliation Monument, a central focus of this order, was removed following heightened national awareness and debates about racial injustice in 2023. The order seeks to restore such monuments as a tribute to America's history.
The order criticizes the National Museum of African American History and Culture for linking certain social constructs to "white culture." Similarly, it condemns the American Women's History Museum for allegedly planning to "recognize men as women." As a result, this directive underscores the administration’s focus on challenging contemporary cultural narratives.
To implement these changes, the administration has tasked Vince Haley and Lindsey Halligan, top domestic aides, with ensuring that congressional appropriations align with these new directives. They will scrutinize existing funding channels and reallocate resources to reflect these policy changes.
Despite these developments, the White House has not provided a statement in response to inquiries from the Daily Caller News Foundation concerning this policy shift. Overall, the directive’s comprehensive approach indicates a significant shift in federal policy regarding historical and cultural commemoration.
The order notably calls for appointing citizens to the Smithsonian's Board of Regents. This represents an emphasis on increased civic involvement in the oversight of cultural institutions. By incorporating citizen voices, it may lead to a restructuring of the Smithsonian's governance.
The executive order articulates a need to maintain museums as educational spaces devoid of "divisive" content, suggesting a shift towards a homogenized narrative of history.
“Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history … reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed," the order reads. “It is the policy of my Administration to restore Federal sites dedicated to history, including parks and museums, to solemn and uplifting public monuments that remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union.”
President Trump’s administration asserts that national museums and parks should serve as venues for education rather than platforms for "divisive narratives." This vision reiterates his administration’s aim to cultivate a cohesive national identity through historical preservation.
In summary, President Trump’s executive order intends to counteract actions taken in the recent past, particularly those aligned with former President Biden's policy directions. By reinstating monuments and reasserting control over museum narratives, this directive seeks to redefine the story America tells about itself. As these policies unfold, their broader impact on federal sites, museum curation, and ideological representation remains a significant area of focus for future analysis.
