Smithsonian Exhibitions Face White House Scrutiny
153Aug. 14, 2025
The Trump administration on August 12 announced that it would conduct a comprehensive review of theSmithsonian Institution’s current and forthcoming exhibitions “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.” The institution’s plans for celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026 are also subject to inspection. The White House in a letter sent to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said that the review was intended “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 first eight of the twenty-one museums under the Smithsonian’s aegis to come under the magnifying glass are 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. Those institutions hosting exhibitions deemed problematic by the Trump administration will be given 120 days to replace “divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”
Established in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution operates independent of the US government, though it receives approximately two thirds of its funding via Congress. The Trump administration has increasingly sought to involve itself in the nonpartisan organization’s business, with Trump claiming on social media earlier this year to have fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet for being “a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI.” The Smithsonian’s board moved swiftly to affirm its autonomy, but Sajet resigned shortly thereafter.
“This a full assault on the autonomy of all the different branches of the institution,” Samuel J. Redman, a history professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with deep knowledge of the Smithsonian, told the New York Times of the White House’s most recent attempt to interfere with the organization.
The Smithsonian on August 13 released a brief statement regarding the letter. “The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” read the statement. “We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents.”