Trump breaks with 175 years of Smithsonian tradition and pushes for more control to rid it of ‘anti-American ideology’
President Donald Trump has threatened to gut the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution in an executive order that aims to eliminate the museum network’s “anti-American ideology.”
Trump wants to overhaul the world’s largest museum, education and research complex to “restore truth and sanity to American history,” his latest executive order signed Thursday said.
The president does not want Congress to fund exhibits that “divide Americans by race,” and singled out the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the forthcoming Women’s History Museum, which the order alleges plans to “recognize men as women.”
His order instructs Vice President JD Vance – who serves on the Smithsonian board thanks to his elected office – to “remove improper ideology” from the Smithsonian’s museums, education and research centers and the National Zoo.
It is an unprecedented call given the institution has largely operated independently for more than 175 years.
The Smithsonian Institution consists of 21 museums and the National Zoo. Eleven museums are located along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Millions visit its museums in D.C. and New York City each year.
Famous art and artifacts held by the Smithsonian includes Thomas Jefferson’s Desk, Jackson Pollock’s ‘Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist), and, of course, Archie Bunker’s chair.
Trump alleges that over the past 10 years, objective facts have been replaced with a distorted, ideologically driven narrative.
“Museums in our Nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn — not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history,” the order said.
Representatives for the Smithsonian did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The institution was established with funds from James Smithson, a British scientist who left his estate to the United States to found “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
It comes after the Pentagon restored some webpages highlighting the crucial wartime contributions of Navajo Code Talkers and other Native American veterans, days after tribes condemned the action.
The initial removal was part of a sweep of any military content that promoted diversity, equity and inclusion, or commonly referred to as DEI.
Following Trump’s broader executive order ending the federal government’s DEI programs, the Defense Department deleted thousands of pages honoring contributions by women and minority groups. Department officials say the Navajo Code Talker material was erroneously erased.
