The White House sharply escalated its criticism of the Smithsonian Institution over the Fourth of July weekend, releasing a report that accuses the museum system's leadership of promoting "extreme political activism" and argues it "cannot be trusted" to present American history objectively.
The 162-page report, published by the White House Domestic Policy Council, focuses primarily on the National Museum of American History, alleging that its leadership has moved the institution "away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country."
, and the National Museum of American History in particular, under its current leadership and current interpretive ideology, cannot be trusted to tell America's story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic," the report states, as PBS points out. It further concludes that the museum has experienced "institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology."
The White House argues that exhibits and educational materials emphasize themes such as gender identity and systemic racism while giving insufficient attention to America's founders and what it describes as the country's exceptional history.
The report follows Trump's March executive order, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, which directed officials to remove what the administration considers "improper ideology" from federally supported historical institutions.
The Smithsonian rejected the characterization by the president through a statement to CNN on Sunday:
"For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so"
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the institution's first Black leader, has also defended its independence. In a May interview with CNN, he said, "My goal is that history is driven by scholarship, not partisanship. The Smithsonian always does its own scholarship."
The report follows months of increasing scrutiny from the Trump administration. In January, the Smithsonian submitted additional documentation on exhibits planned for the nation's 250th anniversary after the White House requested detailed information on displays, artifacts and interpretive materials.
The administration said in response that it wanted to ensure the institution's programming reflected a positive account of American history, while Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch told staff the institution would continue providing "relevant and appropriate materials" in response to the requests.
The White House has not publicly indicated whether it considers those submissions sufficient.
