Trump Administration’s Assault on Smithsonian Continues With Proposed Budget Cuts
2Aug. 5, 2026
For the fiscal year 2027, the federal government has proposed lowering theSmithsonian Institution‘s budget to $961.3 million, the lowest prospective funding level since 2020. The submitted budget represents an 11% cut from the $1.08 billion allocated to theSmithsonianin 2026.
This move is just the latest in a long series of deliberate attempts by theTrump administrationto undermine the Smithsonian. These efforts have included accusing the Smithsonian of “extreme political activism,” demanding the installation of signage outside the National Museum of American History alerting the public to the “ideological capture” of the museum, and strategicallyslow-walkingthe process by which Smithsonian board members are selected.
Trump’s newly proposed budget cuts will necessitate layoffs: Federally funded staffing will be reduced 6% from 4,047 FTE (full time-equivalent) workers to 3,804, and the $928,500 currently allocated for salaries and expenses would be reduced to $841,300.
In February, the Smithsonian announced that it had surpassed its $2.5 billion fundraising goal one year ahead of schedule. “Private support has been essential since our founding and continues to strengthen our work, alongside the federal funding that allows us to keep our museums open, accessible and dedicated to increasing and diffusing knowledge,” Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, said.
Congress will now be responsible for either modifying or ratifying the White House’s newly proposed budget. If the budget is implemented as is, it will drive the Smithsonian to lean even more heavily on private support to maintain its necessary functions.