President Donald Trump on Friday issued an executive order requiring the installation of signs outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History to warn visitors of “inaccurate” exhibits and direct them toward accurate information regarding America’s history,
according to the Washington Post.
White House Report and Allegations of ‘Ideological Capture’
The order follows a July 4 report released by the White House Domestic Policy Council titled Saving America’s Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage.
According to a White House fact sheet, the report concludes that museum leadership has shifted the institution’s mission away from historical scholarship and a shared national inheritance
toward extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism.
The White House report argues that the museum fails to present history in a manner that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.
The administration further claims the museum is not properly stewarding the more than $1 billion in annual taxpayer funding it receives because it cannot be trusted to tell the nation’s story honestly.
Congressional Testimony and Museum Response
On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Anthea M. Hartig, the first woman to serve as director of the National Museum of American History, testified before a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee. Hartig pushed back against the White House report, stating that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum,
according to PBS.
Hartig described the museum’s approach as an evolution intended to add voices rather than erase history, asserting that the institution does not take sides in political debates. During the hearing, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., challenged the museum’s narrative, stating that in its current form, history is presented as just an ongoing power struggle between oppressors and the oppressed.
Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, also expressed that references to the Declaration of Independence should be more prominent.
Broader Efforts to Reshape Cultural Narratives
The directive for warning signs is part of a broader effort by President Trump to reshape narratives in federally influenced cultural institutions. This effort includes purging diversity, equity, and inclusion elements and de-emphasizing the roles of racism, slavery, and LGBTQ+ communities, according to reports from apnews.com and PBS.
The administration has previously taken similar actions, including:
- A March 2025 executive order to “restore truth and sanity to American history” by reversing “divisive ideology” in cultural institutions.
- An August 2025 executive order to restore “respect, pride, and sanctity” to the American flag.
- The departure of Kim Sajet, the longtime leader of the National Portrait Gallery, who stepped down following White House pressure after Trump stated he was firing her.
Current Museum Exhibits
Despite the administration’s criticism, the museum opened an exhibit in May titled In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness
to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. According to PBS, this exhibit features 250 objects, including the Star Spangled Banner, a Revolutionary War-era gunboat, and the desk Thomas Jefferson used to draft the Declaration of Independence.
The new executive order directs several officials to ensure the museum corrects the issues identified in the Domestic Policy Council’s report. These officials include the Secretary of the Interior, the Administrator of General Services, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy.
