Trump's comprehensive review of the Smithsonian
Is the Trump administration justified in issuing a comprehensive review of the Smithsonian museums? Viewpoints from multiple sides.
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Snippets
The Trump administration fired new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Susan Monarez after she refused to resign. Monarez, who had been in the role for less than a month, reportedly clashed with Health and Human Services Secretary John F Kennedy Jr. Her lawyers said she “refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and…chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda.”
Amtrak launched its new “NextGen Acela” high-speed trains operating between Boston, New York, and Washington DC, a project that cost a total of $2.5B and marked the first upgrade to Acela trains since their debut in 2000. The trains have a max speed of 160 mph – 10 mph faster than the previous generation – and 27% greater passenger capacity.
A 23-year-old assailant opened fire at a church in Minneapolis during a Catholic school Mass on Wednesday, killing two children and injuring 18 others. The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The UK, France, and Germany said they would reimpose sanctions on Iran if it did not reengage in talks by the end of August to curb its nuclear program. Sanctions had been lifted in 2015 as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal set to expire in October. (See our previous coverage of the Iran nuclear talks.)
A federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against 15 federal district judges in Maryland that had instituted an order blocking immediate deportations of any migrant in the state that challenged their detention. The judge ruled the DOJ did not have the right to sue, a decision the DOJ has appealed.
What’s happening
Earlier this month, the Trump administration penned an open letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch to inform Bunch that the White House would be leading a comprehensive review of 8 Smithsonian museums, including the National Museums of American History, Natural History, and African American History and Culture. The White House shared that, in preparation for planned celebrations for the 250th anniversary of America’s founding next July, it aimed to ensure that “our national museums reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story.”
The review initiative: The White House said that, “to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage,” the Trump administration will review the selected museums across the following areas: (1) public-facing content; (2) curatorial process; (3) exhibition planning; (4) the use of existing collections; and (5) narrative standards. Within 30 days of the letter's receipt, museums are expected to provide the White House all requested materials (e.g., current exhibition content; internal curatorial guidelines; planned programming for America 250) for review. If deemed necessary by the Trump administration, museums are expected to begin correcting content within 120 days, “replacing divisive or ideologically driven language” with content that is “unifying, historically accurate, and constructive.”
Trump’s sentiments: Trump has been pushing for American institutions to “celebrate American exceptionalism" for months. In Mar 2025, Trump issued the Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History Executive Order, in which Trump singled out the Smithsonian for “com[ing] under the influence of divisive, race-centered ideology.” In that same order, Trump instructed that the Smithsonian “eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from its museums.
Last week, following the White House’s letter to the Smithsonian, Trump posted that museums around the country are “the last remaining segment of ‘WOKE,’” and that “[t]he Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been.” The White House followed up on Trump’s post by listing a number of exhibits across Smithsonian museums it took issue with, including exhibits and art focusing on antiracism, LGBTQ+ history, and undocumented immigrants.
Debate has ramped up over whether the Trump administration is justified in conducting a review of the Smithsonian museums. Today, we bring you the viewpoints from multiple sides. Let us know what you think.
Notable viewpoints
More supportive of the Trump administration’s review orders:
The Smithsonian is funded by American taxpayers and therefore should be held accountable to better reflect the values of the nation.
Trump is right to order a review on the Smithsonian, which receives 62% of its funding from the federal government. If an organization takes federal funds, then the federal government and its leaders can impose conditions on that funding.
The Trump administration is freeing American culture from the influence of museums run by professionals that are overwhelmingly liberal – a 2016 study found that 89% of museum directors, 94% of museum curators, and 88% of historians are Democrats – and are using museums to force “woke” ideologies on the American public. The Smithsonian, as a largely taxpayer-funded institution, should reflect the values of the American people and not simply promote a liberal world view.
Trump would be justified in removing anti-American and politically one-sided content from museums, which fail to properly acknowledge what makes America great.
Trump does not want to censor or twist uncomfortable historical facts within the Smithsonian museums; rather, he wants to remove an anti-American sentiment that has become pervasive in publicly funded exhibits, and he should be applauded for doing so.
“The story of history changes over time… This is not to say that one version of events… is right or wrong. But what is wrong is to ignore the arguments in favor of American greatness so as to only expose our dark underbelly.” (David Marcus, Fox News.)
The Smithsonian’s stated purpose is “the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” but the institution has instead been pushing a fringe ideology that the US’s history is irredeemable and built off of systemic oppression and racism. As a national museum, the Smithsonian should minimize politicized ideology and instead reflect a consensus history showcasing the people, principles, and progress that make this country great. For example, slavery and racism are key, shameful parts of US history that should be presented in museums, but these museums should also show the sacrifices that Americans made to defeat these injustices.
More opposed to the Trump administration’s review orders:
Trump’s order will hamper historians’ ability to provide the American public an accurate and evidence-based accounting of American history.
“If [the museum exhibits] 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.” (Sarah Weicksel, Executive Director of the American Historical Association.)
Trump is declaring war on historians’ profession, training, and integrity and is threatening the future of free education and free thinking rooted in evidence and research. Trump wants to erase decades’ worth of scholarship and replace it with right-wing propaganda.
Trump’s order amounts to whitewashing America’s history of oppression and will not promote American exceptionalism nor help the nation improve.
Removing depictions of racism from American history is the antithesis of promoting American exceptionalism. America is exceptional because the country strives towards an ideal that can never be met, which is why the US evolves faster than any other country in the world. Because of this, it is important to highlight when America has fallen short of those ideals (e.g., slavery), so that we can continue to strive towards improvement as a country.
The Trump administration is trying to whitewash US history and ignore America’s history of oppression against people of different races, genders, ethnicities, sexualities, and economic classes. The administration does not want the American public to confront this oppression and feel shame – but there is nothing wrong with accepting that shame, as it will help future generations prevent further injustices.
Trump is effectively promoting a white nationalist view of American history that minimizes the contributions and experiences of black and brown people in the country. As part of this, the Trump administration is trying to influence how racial history is taught in America’s public forums.
Be heard
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