President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a sweeping plan to reshape the Smithsonian Institution, signing an executive order aimed at cutting funding to programs he claims promote “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology.”
Trump said a “concerted and widespread” effort over the past decade has sought to rewrite American history by replacing “objective facts” with ideologically driven distortions.
The Smithsonian Institution has not yet responded to the Associated Press for a request for comment.
Why It Matters
As the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, the Smithsonian includes 21 museums and the National Zoo. Eleven of its museums are located along the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The institution was founded using funds from British scientist James Smithson, who left his estate to the United States to create “an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
The Smithsonian Institution is a public trust created by an act of Congress in 1846, but it operates independently as a quasi-governmental organization. It is overseen by a Board of Regents, which includes the Chief Justice of the United States and the Vice President, among others. Federal funding for the Smithsonian Institution is set by Congress as part of the annual federal appropriations process.
What to Know
The order, called Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, places Vice President JD Vance in charge of leading the effort to eliminate what the administration deems “improper ideology” across all branches of the Smithsonian, including its museums, research centers, educational initiatives and even the National Zoo.
Trump’s executive order specifically calls out the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as the in-development Women’s History Museum, as examples of institutions promoting what it describes as “divisive narratives.”
The order also directs the vice president and Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum to restore federal parks, monuments, memorials and statues “that have been improperly removed or changed in the last five years to perpetuate a false revision of history or improperly minimize or disparage certain historical figures or events.”
Trump’s order also moves to create a National Garden of American Heroes, a project first proposed by Trump on Independence Day in 2020 to commemorate prominent figures in U.S. history.
What People Are Saying
Trump’s order states: “Americans have witnessed a concerted effort to rewrite history and force our nation to adopt a factually baseless ideology aimed at diminishing American achievement.”
“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.”
The Smithsonian’s Vision Statement reads: Through our unparalleled collections and research capabilities, and the insight and creativity we foster through art, history, and culture, the Smithsonian strives to provide Americans and the world with the tools and information they need to forge Our Shared Future.”
What Happens Next
The Executive Order requires agencies to complete restorations and upgrades to Independence Hall ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026.
Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Update: 3/27/25, 8 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update: 3/27/25, 8:20 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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