President Trump's latest executive order signals a significant shift in the approach to historical narratives within major cultural institutions like the Smithsonian.
Trump Issues Executive Order to Combat 'Anti-American Ideologies' in Smithsonian Museums
Trump Issues Executive Order to Combat 'Anti-American Ideologies' in Smithsonian Museums
The directive aims to reshape cultural narratives and response to the educational approach of prominent museums.
In a bold move, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order taking aim at the Smithsonian Institution, which encompasses over 20 museums and research facilities frequented by millions in Washington DC and New York City. The order, which mandates the vice-president to "eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the Smithsonian’s museums, centers, and the National Zoo in Washington, underscores Trump's intention to recalibrate American cultural discourse.
The initiative, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," positions Vice-President JD Vance, due to his government role, at the helm of this ideological reformation. The directive additionally tasks the Secretary of the Interior with restoring federal properties, including parks and statues, which Trump alleges have been altered or removed in a manner that distorts historical truth over the past five years.
Among the components of the order is a call for Congress to refrain from funding Smithsonian exhibits or programs that supposedly sow division among Americans by race. Trump critiques the forthcoming American Women's History Museum for its purported goal to "recognize men as women," and attacks the National Museum of African American History and Culture for labeling attributes such as “hard work” and “the nuclear family” as part of "White culture."
The Smithsonian Institution sees between 15 and 30 million visitors annually across its 21 museums in Washington DC, Virginia, and New York, featuring landmarks such as the National Museum of American History and the National Zoo. Additionally, the executive order requires Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to execute restorations to iconic Independence Hall in Philadelphia—a move strategically aligned with the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
This latest action is part of Trump's broader campaign to counter what he perceives as the corrupting influence of "woke" leftist ideologies in American culture, having already taken steps to dismantle diversity and inclusion initiatives within the federal framework. His tenure has seen a range of controversies, including the firing of the board of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts—an action that drew backlash from the arts community.
As the nation watches how these cultural institutions will respond to the executive order, the debate surrounding the portrayal of American history and identity remains pivotal in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
