White House announces comprehensive review of Smithsonian exhibitions

The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. The Trump administration said on Tuesday, Aug. 12, that it would begin a wide-ranging review of current and planned exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution, scouring wall text, websites and social media “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.” (Wesley Lapointe/The New York Times)

By Graham Bowley, Jennifer Schuessler and Robin Pogrebin

The Trump administration said earlier this week that it would begin a wide-ranging review of current and planned exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institution, scouring wall text, websites and social media “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.”

White House officials announced the review in a letter sent to Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian. Museums will be required to adjust any content that the administration finds problematic within 120 days, the letter said, “replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”

The review, which will begin with eight of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, is the latest attempt by President Donald Trump to try to impose his will on the Smithsonian, which has traditionally operated as an independent institution that regards itself outside the purview of the executive branch.

Kim Sajet, the head of the National Portrait Gallery, resigned in June after Trump said he was firing her for being partisan. The Smithsonian’s governing board said at the time that it had sole responsibility for personnel decisions.

In its letter, the White House says its review “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.” It adds that the “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.”

News of the letter was earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal. It is signed by Lindsey Halligan, a special assistant to the president; Vince Haley, the director of the Domestic Policy Council; and Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In a statement, the Smithsonian said that its “work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history.”

“We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind,” it continued, “and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress and our governing Board of Regents.”

Bunch did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Some historians expressed concern at the political interference in an institution that was long viewed as independent. Annette Gordon-Reed, a professor at Harvard University and president of the Organization of American Historians, said the Smithsonian was already doing a “fantastic job of presenting American history.”

“People are voting with their feet,” she said. “It’s a very popular place. The content of exhibits shouldn’t simply reflect any one administration’s preferences. They are the product of a lot of hard work by dedicated and honorable people who want to present the most accurate picture of American history as possible. That includes the triumphs and the tragedies.”

Samuel J. Redman, a history professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has written extensively about the Smithsonian, called the administration’s review “a full assault on the autonomy of all the different branches of the institution.”

Trump’s focus on the Smithsonian began in March, when he issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” In it, he claimed that the Smithsonian had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology” and that it promoted “narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.” Last month, bills were introduced in the House and Senate that would codify the executive order into law.

Initially, the White House’s review will focus on eight Smithsonian museums: the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, 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. Other museums would be reviewed in a later phase, it said.

Trump does not directly control the Smithsonian, which is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Democrats and Republicans and is overseen by Congress. But the Smithsonian is facing pressure to give ground, particularly since 62% of its more than $1 billion annual budget comes from congressional appropriation, federal grants and government contracts.

The Smithsonian closed its diversity office shortly after the president signed an executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs at organizations receiving federal money. Last month, artist Amy Sherald pulled her upcoming show from the National Portrait Gallery, saying that the museum was concerned about her painting that depicts a transgender Statue of Liberty.

An earlier confrontation with the administration was avoided when the Smithsonian issued a statement that embraced its independent authority but acknowledged the institution’s need to be nonpartisan in its depiction of American history and life. Some in the Smithsonian leadership thought the measures might curb the White House, but they appear to have misjudged its commitment to addressing what it views as deficiencies.