The Smithsonian Institution, a taxpayer-supported network of museums and cultural institutions, is at the center of a contentious White House review amid a growing divide over how America's story is told.
The review, initiated by President Trump, aims to root out what his administration calls "woke" ideology within the institution, which oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo, and nearly 157 million objects and specimens. The Smithsonian receives over $1 billion annually in federal funding outside of private-side dollars.
Over the past 16 months, the administration has examined museum exhibits, educational programming, internal records, and leadership statements, issued multiple document requests, interviewed curators, and conducted on-site museum walkthroughs. The effort culminated in a 162-page White House report recommending sweeping reforms and announcing new executive actions.
The report argues that the Smithsonian has undergone a significant shift away from its original mission, prioritizing social justice activism and ideological narratives over America's founding principles and national achievements. The administration claims that exhibits increasingly emphasize restorative history, decolonization, immigration activism, DEI initiatives, and social justice, while downplaying America's Founders and patriotic themes.
The White House report concludes that the National Museum of American History has undergone "ideological capture," with museum exhibits and programs promoting divisive ideological narratives over a patriotic telling of American history. The report recommends removing what it describes as political activism from museum exhibits and restoring displays that emphasize America's founding principles, national achievements, and patriotic history.
The Trump administration has also criticized the Smithsonian for failing to provide most of the records requested during its review, including exhibition plans, curatorial documents, and governance materials. The administration has given the Smithsonian until January 13, 2026, to produce the requested records and reminded the institution that federal funding must be used in a manner consistent with Trump's "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" executive order.
The review has sparked a broader debate over patriotism, historical interpretation, and the role of federally funded cultural institutions. The Smithsonian has long said its mission is to preserve and present the nation's history through scholarship, research, and public education, setting the stage for continued debate over how America's story should be told.
The White House has released a report and an executive order aimed at implementing the recommendations, directing the Interior Department, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), General Services Administrator (GSA), and the White House Domestic Policy Council to encourage the Smithsonian to address the report's findings. The administration says its effort is intended to restore a more patriotic presentation of American history at the Smithsonian.
The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the review and the White House report.
