President Trump’s executive order to reshape American history exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution and other national museums has ignited fierce debate over how our nation’s past should be presented. Vice President JD Vance, a Smithsonian Board member, is tasked with implementing the changes. Critics call it historical whitewashing, but supporters see it as restoring patriotic education.
Presidential Directive Aims to “Restore Truth”
On March 27, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting what his administration describes as divisive ideology in the Smithsonian Institution and other federally funded cultural sites. The directive focuses on removing content related to systemic racism and social justice from museum exhibits. The order is part of Trump’s broader efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs nationwide and promote what the administration calls “patriotic” education in their place.
The White House fact sheet states the order aims to “restore truth and sanity to American history by revitalizing cultural institutions and reversing divisive ideologies.” Vice President JD Vance, as a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, has been specifically directed to eliminate what the administration terms “divisive or anti-American ideology” from the institution and its associated entities.
🚨 #Trump targets #Smithsonian #Funding for #Programs with "#improper #ideology." "Trump claims a "concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation's history" over the last decade." https://t.co/s7xDjgUkxf
— Stefan Bethlenfalvay (@SBethlenfalvay) March 28, 2025
Exhibits Under Scrutiny
Several Smithsonian exhibits have been specifically identified in the executive order as problematic. These include “The Shape of Power,” “In Slavery’s Wake,” “Rallying against Racism,” “We Belong Here,” and “Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience.” The National Museum of African American History and Culture has also been criticized for content that the administration says misconstrues American history and values.
The executive order takes aim at specific concepts presented in museums. It cites the American Art Museum for asserting that “sculpture has been a powerful tool in promoting scientific racism” and the National Museum of African American History and Culture for suggesting that concepts like “hard work,” “individualism,” and “the nuclear family” are aspects of “White culture.”
Trump targets ‘improper ideology’ at the Smithsonian in latest effort to reshape the arts and history – CNN -Improper Ideology sure sounds like thought control to me! Any one else? https://t.co/mfNhxnPtbX
— Mark Dowis (@dowis_mark) March 29, 2025
Historians and Critics React
The executive order has drawn sharp criticism from many historians and museum professionals who view it as an attempt to control historical narratives. Samuel Redman, a professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, expressed grave concern about the implications of the order for educational institutions across America.
There are also questions about how leadership at the Smithsonian will respond. David Blight, a Yale historian, commented on the difficult position faced by museum directors and administrators who may feel pressured to resign rather than implement the changes. The Smithsonian, partly funded by the federal government and independently by Congress, has faced political controversies before, most notably over the 1995 Enola Gay exhibition.
America’s 250th Anniversary Preparations
The executive order includes directives for preparations for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It calls for restorations to Independence Hall to be completed by July 4, 2026, and establishes a task force for planning celebrations. The Secretary of the Interior has been directed to restore Federal parks, monuments, and similar properties that the administration says have been “improperly altered” over the past five years.
“Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.” – Trump
The order also requires that Federal buildings reflect traditional, classical architecture and ensures that American history is presented in what the administration describes as an “accurate” manner. Additional measures aim to protect monuments from vandalism, reflecting Trump’s previous focus on safeguarding historical statues during his first term.