The United States government has ordered a review of the content of the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, considered a global landmark, to ensure they do not accommodate “divisive or partisan narratives,” in line with President Donald Trump’s directive that any publicly funded organization align with his policies.
“As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s birth, it is more important than ever that our museums reflect the unity, progress, and values that define the American story,” the White House argues in a letter justifying this “internal review.”
The measure affects all content already available, including current exhibits, educational materials, and social media posts, but also future exhibition plans, “with particular attention” to initiatives organized to commemorate the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The memo establishes a one-month deadline for the various museums to begin submitting details about their content, in anticipation that, within four months, any necessary “corrections” can begin to be applied and, if necessary, the “ideological” terms replaced with “unifying, historically accurate” ones.
In March, Trump signed an executive order seeking to denounce alleged historical manipulation that had already targeted the Smithsonian. In the text, the president lamented the portrayal of American history as “racist, sexist, repressive, or, in other words, hopelessly flawed.”
