The Trump administration is evidently extending its control of cultural representation at the Smithsonian, the world’s largest museum and research complex.
In a letter obtained by the Wall Street Journal, the White House told the Smithsonian that it plans a wide review of exhibitions, materials and operations ahead of the US’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026.
The letter to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, from Trump administration officials said the White House wants the museums’ program to reflect “unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story” in keeping with an executive order issued in March that ordered the elimination of “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from the Smithsonian and its museums.
Donald Trump’s order from March, titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, said the president “aims to ensure that the Smithsonian is an institution that sparks children’s imagination, celebrates American history and ingenuity, serves as a symbol to the world of American greatness, and makes America proud”.
Earlier in August, the museum removed and later amended an exhibit on US presidential impeachments that mentioned Trump’s two impeachments during his first term. Officials at the Smithsonian later said museum officials “were not asked by any administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit”.
But Monday’s letter to the institution, according to the Journal, places the institution under curatorial scrutiny ranging from public-facing exhibition text and online content to internal curatorial processes, exhibition planning, the use of collections and artist grants.
“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the president’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” the letter is reported to say.
It was signed by Lindsey Halligan, White House senior associate; Vince Haley, the director of the domestic policy council, and Russ Vought; the director of the office of Management and Budget.
Halligan was appointed to effectuate JD Vance’s oversight of the Smithsonian. In a statement, she said the review was “about preserving trust in one of our most cherished institutions”.
Halligan added: “The Smithsonian museums and exhibits should be accurate, patriotic, and enlightening – ensuring they remain places of learning, wonder, and national pride for generations to come.”
The formal review comes as the Trump administration placed Washington DC’s police department under direct federal control and deployed the national guard into the city, citing a public safety emergency related to crime and homelessness, though data shows a sharp decrease in violent crime.
In January, Washington DC’s metropolitan police department and US attorney’s office released a report showing that total violent crime in DC in 2024 was down 35% from the prior year, resulting in the lowest violent crime rate in more than 30 years. Meanwhile, data have consistently shown that unhoused people are more likely to be victimized by crimes than commit them.
Nineteen Smithsonian museums based in Washington are expected to be reviewed, including: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
The Smithsonian’s Board of Regents had previously agreed to conduct a thorough review of all its museum and zoo content to eliminate political influence and bias. That preceded the resignation in June of Kim Sajet, the director of the National Portrait Gallery who Trump said was involved with diversity initiatives he opposed.
Separately, figurative painter Amy Sherald cancelled a career review of her work – including a portrait of Michelle Obama, the former first lady – at the Smithsonian over concerns that the institute would not show Trans Forming Liberty, a portrait of a transgender woman with pink hair and a blue dress holding a torch as the Statue of Liberty.
Monday’s letter later goes further, however, ordering a review of exhibits planned for the US’s 250th birthday. It also is part of a broader push to assert oversight over a broad swathe of cultural and academic institutions.
The White House states that museums should correct “divisive or ideologically driven” language with text that is “unifying, historically accurate”.
A team from the White House reportedly plans to conduct observational visits and museum walk-throughs to document themes and messaging. The Journal also said that the White House had asked to review organizational charts, visitor surveys, exhibited artists who received Smithsonian grants, outside partners and internal communications related to section and approval processes.
The outlet said the White House had given 30 days for requested materials to be turned over and that it expected to complete its review by early 2026.
