President Donald Trump has ordered signs installed outside the Smithsonian's U.S. history museum declaring some exhibits inaccurate. The July 24, 2026, executive order follows a critical White House report and is part of a broader effort to align cultural institutions with conservative views. As the President lacks direct authority over the museum, the order targets sidewalks controlled by the National Park Service. The museum's director has refuted the report's claims.
Smithsonian signage order
- ▪The executive order targets the sidewalks in front of the museum, which are maintained by the National Park Service
- ▪On July 24, 2026, President Donald Trump ordered his administration to install signs in front of the Smithsonian Institution's U.S. history museum
- ▪The order also calls for a temporary exhibit to correct information the White House deems inaccurate
- ▪The signs are intended to tell visitors that some of the museum's exhibits are inaccurate
White House criticism report
- ▪Anthea M. Hartig, director of the American history museum, stated the White House report does not "fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum."
- ▪President Trump's order follows a July 4 report from his Domestic Policy Council
- ▪The Domestic Policy Council report stated the Smithsonian does not tell history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.”
Smithsonian institutional independence
- ▪The Smithsonian's museum directors report to Secretary Lonnie Bunch, who is subject to oversight from a Board of Regents
- ▪The Smithsonian Institution operates outside the executive branch
- ▪The President lacks the authority to quickly fire Smithsonian leadership or order changes to its exhibits
Broader cultural institution interventions
- ▪In March 2026, President Trump issued an executive order targeting funding for programs that advanced “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology.”
- ▪A federal judge later ordered the removal of President Trump's name from the Kennedy Center building after his handpicked board voted to add it
- ▪President Trump had himself installed as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to overhaul its programming
- ▪President Trump's effort is part of a broader move to transform cultural institutions he considers out of step with conservative sensibilities
Philadelphia historical site controversy
- ▪Critics argue that the reinstalled panels at the Philadelphia site whitewash the history of slavery
- ▪The Trump administration won a court ruling allowing it to reinstall interpretive panels at the site of President George Washington’s home in Philadelphia
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