The Trump administration is reviewing the Smithsonian facility to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order “reviving American history.”
Trump has taken up several culture war issues since returning to the White House, attacking institutions of higher education, targeting diversity efforts, and setting up himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Reviews of the Smithsonian exhibition are expected to occur by the beginning of 2026, the country’s 250th anniversary.
“This initiative aims to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and ensure alignment with the President’s instructions to restore confidence in shared cultural institutions.”
However, as stated in the letter, the reviews begin with several museums. Which?
The Smithsonian has 21 museums, with federal funds making up a large part of that budget
Founded in 1846, Smithsonian is a public-private partnership established by Congress. It has 21 museums, 14 educational and research centres, and includes the National Zoo. According to the agency’s website, federal funds account for about 62% of the budget. This is governed by a committee of 17 members, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, six members of Congress and nine national members.
In a statement on the review, Smithsonian said he would “continue to work together constructively with the White House.”
“The Smithsonian’s work is based on academic excellence, rigorous research and a deep commitment to accurate and de facto presentations of history. We review the letters with this commitment in mind,” the statement reads.
Trump reviews reviews targeting these museums in the Smithsonian
This review will focus on the Smithsonian exhibition, along with the process of creating them. The letter says that the focus will initially be on these museums, and more will need to be added at a later stage.
- American History Museum
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- American Indian National Museum
- National Air and Space Museum
- Smithsonian American Museum
- National Portrait Gallery
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
According to the list on the website, other museums and attractions under the Smithsonian include the African Museum, the Aerospace Museum Udbah Hazy Center, the American Indian Museum, the Anacostia Community Museum, the Art Museum, the Asian Museum Freelance Gallery, the Asian Museum of Art Kougerya Gallery, the Cooper Hewwick Museum, the Ripply Museum and the Asian Art Museum Gallery. Smithsonian Garden and the National Zoo.
Smithsonian restores the name of the Trump to the blast each display
This review follows changes to some mentions of Trump on museum displays.
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History recovered references to Trump after removing it from the Presidential Gallery Each exhibit in late July.
The change to “American Presidency: The Burden of Glory,” originally reported by the Washington Post on July 31, involved the complete removal of what is called a temporary placard that temporarily covers two Trump boulders each in 2019 and 2021.
More permanent exhibitions on the president have been added, with artifacts from the lawsuit. Some texts have been changed, particularly between displays regarding Trump’s involvement on January 6, 2021, regarding attacks on the U.S. Capitol, and accusations of election interference.
The Smithsonian Institute said in a statement on August 2 that the change was made because it “does not meet the museum’s exterior standards,” and refused to have USA Today asked government officials to remove the content.
Kinsey Crowley is a Trump Connect reporter for the USA Today Network. Contact her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and Tiktok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.
