President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, aimed to reshape the Smithsonian Institution by eliminating programs that promote “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology.” This move falls in line with the administration’s efforts to address perceived liberal biases in institutions such as universities and the arts.
“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,” he said.
He specifically mentioned the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016 near the White House, and another Women’s History Museum, which is still in development.
The President asserted that over the past decade, there has been a “concerted and widespread” effort to rewrite American history by replacing “objective facts” with a “distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth,” which he believes, portray the nation’s “founding principles” in a negative light.
Under the new directive:
- Vice president JD Vance, who serves on the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents, is set to oversee the removal of such ideologies from all areas of the institution, including its museums, educational and research centres, and the National Zoo.
- The order suggested the potential reinstatement of Confederate statues, which were removed after the police killing of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.
- Independence Hall in Philadelphia must undergo improvements before July 4, 2026, in time for the 250th anniversary of the declaration of Independence.
- VP Vance will collaborate with the White House budget office to ensure that future funding for the Smithsonian Institution is not allocated to programs that “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with federal law and policy.”
- The Women’s History Museum must not “recognize men as women in any respect,” according to news agency AP.
Linda St Thomas, the Smithsonian Institution’s chief spokesperson, declined to comment on the executive order.
What is the Smithsonian Institution ?
The Smithsonian Institution, established with funds from British scientist James Smithson, is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, comprising 21 museums and the National Zoo. Eleven of these museums are located along the National Mall in Washington.
It was set up with funds from James Smithson (1765–1829), a British scientist who left his estate to the United States to create “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.” On August 10, 1846, the US senate passed the act organizing the Smithsonian Institution, which was signed into law by President James K Polk.
Since his appointment Trump has introduced a series of measures. He had, recently, appointed himself as chairman of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the intention of overhauling its programming. Additionally, the administration compelled Columbia University to implement several changes by threatening the withdrawal of federal funding amounting to several hundred million dollars.
