A Timeline of Trump’s Pressure Campaign Against the Smithsonian
NYT > U.S. > Politics — 2026-07-06 10:31:00 — www.nytimes.com
Trump Intensifies Pressure on Smithsonian, Accusing Institution of Anti-White Bias and Historical Distortion
Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Trump has launched a sweeping campaign to reshape the Smithsonian Institution, seeking to limit its independence and recast it as a “symbol of inspiration and American greatness.” In a series of executive actions and public statements, Trump has repeatedly accused the Smithsonian and its museums of promoting what he describes as a divisive, race-centered ideology that portrays “American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.”
Executive Orders and Accusations
On March 27, 2025, Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” asserting that the Smithsonian’s exhibitions focus excessively on race and undermine the nation’s achievements. He claimed the institution had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” and called for Vice President JD Vance to work with Congress to block funding for exhibitions or programs that “degrade shared American values, divide Americans by race or promote ideologies inconsistent with federal law.”
Targeting Diversity Initiatives and Personnel
Following Trump’s order declaring the Biden administration’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives “illegal and immoral discrimination,” the Smithsonian shut its Office of Diversity in January 2025. Trump also announced the firing of National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet, labeling her “highly partisan” and a “strong supporter of DEI.” Sajet later resigned, citing the best interests of the Smithsonian.
Content Review and Censorship Allegations
Under pressure from Trump’s administration, the National Museum of American History removed a label referencing Trump’s impeachments in 2019 and 2021. The White House then demanded a comprehensive review of exhibitions at eight Smithsonian museums, requiring changes within 120 days to ensure alignment with what it called “American ideals.” In August 2025, Trump escalated his rhetoric, declaring on social media that the Smithsonian was “out of control” and claiming, “Everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.”
The administration also published a list of exhibits it deemed objectionable, including educational programming about whiteness at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and artwork depicting migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Ongoing Pressure and Accusations of Bias
The White House continued to admonish the Smithsonian for not fully complying with document requests and suggested that Trump’s official portrait at the National Portrait Gallery be accompanied by additional images of him, emphasizing the president’s desire to showcase artwork sent by “patriotic Americans.”
On July 4, 2026, the administration released a 162-page report accusing the National Museum of American History of failing to properly celebrate the nation’s heritage, embracing “anti-white bias,” and distorting the nation’s founding. The report claimed the museum had shifted from “straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country,” using history “as a political instrument to divide, dispirit and discourage our citizens.”
Conclusion
President Trump’s campaign against the Smithsonian marks a significant effort to reshape the nation’s premier cultural institution according to his administration’s ideological priorities. Through executive orders, public attacks, and demands for content changes, Trump has repeatedly accused the Smithsonian of distorting American history and promoting division—claims that have sparked controversy and raised concerns about political interference in the nation’s museums. The ongoing pressure campaign underscores the administration’s intent to recast the narrative of American history in line with Trump’s vision of “American greatness,” while critics warn of the dangers of politicizing historical scholarship and museum independence.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/arts/design/president-trump-smithsonian-timeline.html