The Trump administration has begun a sweeping ideological purge of the Smithsonian Institution. They’re looking to its exhibits and educational content to ensure that all of them fit what officials have deemed “patriotic” standards. This directive follows an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump in March, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order aims to eliminate what the administration deems “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from the nation’s premier cultural institutions.
In a letter addressed to the Smithsonian’s secretary, Lonnie Bunch, the White House outlined the scope of the review, which will initially target eight of the Smithsonian’s museums. Check out the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of Natural History. There’s no beating 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 review will delve into all the broad and important issues these museums raise. It will center on public-facing exhibition text, online content, internal curatorial process, exhibition planning and collection usage, as well as artist grants. The administration has given the museums a period of 120 days to modify or remove any program content found to be inappropriate.
The intent behind this initiative is to ensure that the Smithsonian’s programs reflect “unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story.” The letter from the White House emphasized a shift towards “divisive or ideologically driven language” and advocated for replacing it with “unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”
Newly-appointed Lindsey Halligan has been tasked with leading that review. She noted that this effort is about keeping faith with one of America’s most popular and respected institutions.
“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.” – Lindsey Halligan
As the administration has made clear, the Smithsonian must foster creativity and innovation among our young people. They think it should be a monument to American history and ingenuity. In Trump’s words, it should “serve as a symbol to the world of American greatness, and make America proud.”
Warnings about the implications of this review have raised alarms within the artists community. Notably, figurative painter Amy Sherald canceled a career review at the Smithsonian due to worries over how her portrait of a transgender woman would be exhibited under the new guidelines. This ruling acknowledges the very real apprehension many artists have toward censorship. What’s scarier is that these civilians fear their work may be critical to re-examining due to the administration’s agenda.
The review comes on the heels of some deep cuts to the National Portrait Gallery that have caused a stir. In June, director Kim Sajet announced her departure. Her support for diversity initiatives was a sharp contrast to the pro-White policies and agendas espoused by Trump. The gallery removed an artwork in early August detailing all U.S. presidential impeachments. They subsequently changed it to defend against Trump’s very own impeachments.
The White House has since signaled that it intends to broaden its review to other Smithsonian museums down the line. This ongoing scrutiny raises questions about how cultural institutions balance historical accuracy with political directives and how such reviews may shape public perceptions of American history.
“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 from the White House
This comprehensive review has the potential to radically reshape how state history is presented. It will determine how generations to come study and understand our shared history. Museums are already deeply invested in these critical educational spaces. Today, for the first time ever, they find themselves under relentless political fire trying to fundamentally alter their missions.