Changes at the Smithsonian, a longstanding American institution, have both staffers and historians concerned, according to new reports.
“We will be leading a comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions,” said a letter sent from President Donald Trump’s administration to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Busch this week. “This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
Within 30 days, the Trump administration expects Smithsonian museums to submit requested materials, including current exhibition descriptions, draft plans for upcoming shows, programming materials for America’s 250th birthday celebrations, and internal guidelines used in exhibition development. Furthermore, it said that “our team” will be on-site for observational visits and walkthroughs.
While the letter said that the review is not intended to “interfere with the day-to-day operations of curators or staff,” employees have told HuffPost that things have already changed since the start of Trump’s term. In March, Audacy reported on an executive order that said the Smithsonian has “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology,” and called for sweeping changes.
After that executive order was issued, Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the Committee on House Administration, and other Democratic members of the committee sent a letter to Vice President and Smithsonian Regent JD Vance rejecting the proclamation.
“The Smithsonian is the envy of cultural institutions across the planet – not because of ideological edicts or interference from politicians, but because of the world-renowned experts who independently curate the Smithsonian’s collections, programs, exhibits, and activities. It is this curatorial independence that is the hallmark of credible museums and cultural institutions,” they wrote.
Congress authorized the acceptance of a bequest from British scientist James Smithson in 1836 and 10 years later the U.S. Senate passed the act organizing the Smithsonian Institution, which was signed by then-President James K. Polk. Smithson requested that the donation of his estate be used to create “at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
According to HuffPost, staff at the Smithsonian museums have been censoring content they fear could upset Trump since he took office in January. It also said that volunteers are angry and considering quitting and that employees have been told not to speak with the press.
“Everyone is so scared,” said one longtime Smithsonian worker who requested anonymity told the HuffPost. They added that: “We can’t be political with our content, but they have politicized everything. We need to prove we’re not partisan by following this very partisan directive. What are we supposed to do? It’s like up is down. It’s maddening.”
In June, former National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet resigned. CNN noted that her resignation came shortly after Trump called for her to be fired and claimed she was “highly partisan” because she supported diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
“President Trump has no authority to fire employees of the Smithsonian Institution - including the Director of the National Portrait Gallery,” said Morelle and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) after Trump’s comments. “The dismissal of Director Sajet is unacceptable and has the same legal weight as the President’s prior attempts to undermine the Smithsonian’s independence: absolutely none. Should the White House require a copy of the Constitution, we would be more than happy to provide one.”
Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that a temporary placard containing Trump’s name had been removed from an exhibit at the National Museum of History. A new sign was put up, but the outlet noted that the text had fewer details.
“As has been recently reported, in July, a placard was removed from the National Museum of American History’s exhibit ‘The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden.’ The intent of the Impeachment section of the exhibit is to reflect all impeachment proceedings in our nation’s history,” said an Aug. 2 press release from the Smithsonian. It said the placard was meant to be a temporary addition to the 25-year-old exhibit and that it “did not meet the museum’s standards in appearance, location, timeline and overall presentation. It was not consistent with other sections in the exhibit and moreover blocked the view of the objects inside its case.”
It also said “we were not asked by any Administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit.”
The New York Times reported that Trump’s new plan to review content at the Smithsonian “drew criticism from groups that represent scholars and promote free speech,” including PEN America. Hadar Harris, managing director of the free expression and writers’ organization’s Washington, D.C. office, said in a statement that: The administration’s efforts to rewrite history are a betrayal of our democratic traditions and a deeply concerning effort to strip truth from the institutions that tell our national story, from the Smithsonian to our national parks.”
Sarah Weicksel, the executive director of the American Historical Association, described the Trump administration move as a “major overstep,” according to The Times.
“It is the impartial role and responsibility of the Smithsonian museums to ensure a full, accurate, and resonant telling of American history – and Trump has no right to censor our history, ignore the systemic oppression of marginalized people, and attack our intellectual freedom,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) in a Tuesday press release. “Much like his disgraceful rollbacks of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and his campaign to ban books, this action is yet another attempt to whitewash our shared history and replace the challenges and triumphs of women, people of color, and Native Americans with false narratives forged with white supremacist ideology.”
Per the letter sent to Busch, the Trump administration said it wants to “support a broader vision of excellence that highlights historically accurate, uplifting, and inclusive portrayals of America’s heritage.”
In addition to the 30-day timeline for materials, there is a 75-day deadline to submit any remaining requested documentation, including promotional literature, grant data, educational materials, and guided tour content.
Interviews with staff will also be scheduled during that time. There is also a 120-day deadline for museums to “begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials.”
The letter said the Trump administration is preparing to complete a final report by early next year. It is expected to include museum-specific assessments.
“We want the museums to treat our country fairly,” Trump told reporters Thursday, according to Fox News. “We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.”
Audacy has also reported on the Trump administrations efforts to have the statue of a Confederate general reinstalled in Washington D.C. after it was torn down in 2020.