The Smithsonian is in the fight of its life

Story & Photos

By Michael Kinney

Earlier this year, I happened to be in Washington, D.C. for the retirement of a childhood friend from the military. The most exciting thing I thought would happen would be finding a new bookstore.

However, I was wrong. Because on March 27, President Donald Trump announced his now infamous executive order titled “RESTORING TRUTH AND SANITY TO AMERICAN HISTORY.”

Since Trump has signed more than 190 executive orders (As of Aug. 13) in just 204 days of his second stint as President, it’s understandable if some people may have forgotten this one.

The order states, “Americans have witnessed a concerted, widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.” He claimed the Smithsonian Institution was part of a “revisionist movement that seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.”

The White House took special exception to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the American Art Museum. So even though I had been to both several times before, I had to go again and look upon the exhibits in this new light of scrutiny that has been placed on them by the White House.

“The Smithsonian American Art Museum today features “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture,” an exhibit representing that “[s]ocieties including the United States have used race to establish and maintain systems of power, privilege, and disenfranchisement,” Trump stated in his March 27^th executive order. “The exhibit further claims that “sculpture has been a powerful tool in promoting scientific racism” and promotes the view that race is not a biological reality but a social construct, stating “Race is a human invention.”

Trump went on to state, “The National Museum of African American History and Culture has proclaimed that “hard work,” “individualism,” and “the nuclear family” are aspects of “White culture.”

But after sitting in the National Mall and reading through the mangled language of Trump’s executive order, I knew things were about to change. His attempt to rewrite history at the Smithsonian to fit his narrative of the country was going to go into high gear. So I needed to get in one last tour before the hard truths found at the Smithsonian’s 21 museums were taken out and replaced with comfortable lies.

“We want the museums to treat our country fairly,” Trump said. “We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.”

Stephen Millier, the White House deputy cheif of staff, was a little more direct with his comments on social media.

“The Smithsonian is supposed to be a global symbol of American strength, culture and prestige,” Miller wrote. “A place for families and children to celebrate American history and greatness. Instead, the exhibits have clearly been taken over by leftwing activists who have used the Smithsonian as yet one platform to endlessly bash America and rewrite / erase our magnificent story. These activists have obscenely defaced this beloved institution. The Trump Administration will proudly and diligently restore the patriotic glory of America and ensure the Smithsonian is a place that once more inspires love and devotion to this nation, especially among our youngest citizens.”

While the 179-year-old institution is a public-private partnership that was established by Congress, Trump has asserted authority, and the legislative branch has provided no pushback. This seems to have emboldened the President.

After five months of pecking around the edges, it looks like Trump and his administration are finally ready to get to work.

The White House announced in a letter on Aug. 12, it will review the Smithsonian exhibits to ensure adherence. Since the institution is federally funded (62% of its $1 billion annual budget), Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G Bunch was left with very few options to fight it. He appears to be in the same position as the D.C. Mayor and Chief of Police, who are currently dealing with a federal takeover of their city.

“As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Nation’s founding, it is more important than ever that our national museums reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story,” Administration officials stated in a letter to Bunch. “In this spirit, and in accordance with Executive Order 14253, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, we will be leading a comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions. 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.

According to the letter, the review is to be viewed as a constructive and collaborative effort.

“Our goal is not to interfere with the day-to-day operations of curators or staff, but rather to support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage,” the letter continued.

The Trump administration said it will initially focus its review on eight of the 21 museums. They include the National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Hirshhorn Museum, and the Sculpture Garden.

The review will focus on Smithsonian exhibits, along with the process for creating them.

“We view this process as a collaborative and forward-looking opportunity-one that empowers museum staff to embrace a revitalized curatorial vision rooted in the strength, breadth, and achievements of the American story. By focusing on Americanism-the people, principles, and progress that define our nation-we can work together to renew the Smithsonian’s role as the world’s leading museum institution.”

The review is to be completed in 2026 and in time for the 250^th birthday of the United States.

The unsaid part is that if exhibits or content do not fit Trump’s version of America, they will be removed from sight. It has many fearing that any piece of history that promotes DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) will be removed silently, with no fanfare and under the cover of darkness, as with previous attempts.

“It sounds like, especially with the newest order that involves the Smithsonian Museums, that he’s trying to almost kind of erase that history, not just the immigrants, but also almost everyone that’s not of a particular persuasion,” said Johnathon Macon, a NYC teacher who was visiting D.C. “I’m an educator as well. I’m a teacher and I’m totally against it. I’m against how he wants to erase certain parts of our history. Our history is the people, all the people of America.”