politics
White House Releases Report on Smithsonian National Museum of American History Exhibit Changes
The White House Domestic Policy Council issued a report accusing the National Museum of American History of ideological capture by radical activism. The document states that current leadership cannot be trusted to present America’s story in an honest, inspiring and unifying manner. A Smithsonian spokesperson said the institution has maintained nonpartisan scholarship for more than 180 years.
AB
themandarin.com.auAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
The White House released a 162-page report on Monday examining the National Museum of American History's curatorial practices and mission statement. The document states that the museum's leadership "cannot be trusted to tell America's story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying and worthy of the republic."
President Trump ordered the review of the Smithsonian Institution in 2025. Anthea Hartig has served as director of the National Museum of American History since 2019. The report notes that the museum removed the phrases "infinite richness" and "American history" from its mission statement.
According to the report, exhibits are now required to connect to themes including race and identity, gender and sexuality, climate change, immigration, economic inequality, technological change, and nationalism and globalism.
The report also cites Hartig's remarks on being "propped up by the cushions of whiteness and the pillows of the bourgeoisie," her view that "loving America is very complicated," and her suggestion that exhibits should cover the entirety of the Americas rather than only the United States.
A Smithsonian spokesperson stated that "for more than 180 years the institution has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship and remains committed to doing so." The Smithsonian operates 21 museums.
