Trump Orders Smithsonian to Remove ‘Anti-American Content’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump issued an executive order directing the removal of “anti-American ideology” from the Smithsonian museums and affiliated institutions. The order specifically criticizes exhibits focused on systemic racism and diversity, singling out the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Vice President JD Vance will oversee enforcement as Trump pushes to reshape public cultural narratives.
Trump Orders Smithsonian to Purge “Anti-American Ideology” From Exhibits Quick Looks
- Executive order calls for removal of “divisive” content at Smithsonian
- Order claims some exhibits push a “false revision of history”
- African American History Museum and Women’s Museum singled out
- VP JD Vance tasked with overseeing compliance
- Order part of broader rollback of diversity and inclusion efforts
- Trump also targets restored Confederate monument names and park history
- Smithsonian and its museums have not publicly responded
- Order accuses Biden administration of infusing institutions with flawed ideology
- Trump previously defended Confederate statues, reappointed military base names
Trump Orders Smithsonian to Remove ‘Anti-American Content’
Deep Look
In a sweeping new move to reshape the nation’s cultural and historical landscape, President Donald Trump on signed an executive order instructing the Smithsonian Institution to eliminate what he described as “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from its museums, exhibitions, and educational content.
The directive, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” tasks Vice President JD Vance with overseeing the implementation. It also instructs the Interior Department to restore national parks, monuments, and memorials that have been removed or altered in recent years to reflect what Trump calls a “false revision of history.”
Though the order lacks detailed definitions, it appears to target progressive interpretations of American history that center on systemic racism, gender identity, and critiques of traditional institutions. It specifically points to exhibits at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, alleging that it equates “hard work,” “individualism,” and “the nuclear family” with “White culture.”
The order also criticizes the American Women’s History Museum, claiming it promotes male athletes in women’s sports — a reference to transgender inclusion, which has become a flashpoint in conservative politics.
Neither the Smithsonian Institution nor the targeted museums have publicly commented on the order.
Smithsonian in the Crosshairs
The Smithsonian, which describes itself as the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, includes 21 museums and galleries, most of them located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It also encompasses the National Zoo and more than a dozen research centers across the country.
Trump’s order marks a direct confrontation with what conservatives have increasingly labeled as “woke” cultural institutions, accusing them of promoting narratives that downplay or criticize America’s founding principles.
“The Biden administration pushed a divisive ideology that reconstrued America’s promotion of liberty as fundamentally flawed,” the order reads, claiming these values were injected into institutions like the Smithsonian and national parks.
JD Vance, a member of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents, is now in charge of executing the order, marking an unprecedented level of executive oversight into the museum’s curatorial and historical autonomy.
Broader Culture War Strategy
The executive order is consistent with Trump’s broader campaign to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs in federal agencies, universities, and corporate America. It also reflects his effort to shape the arts and cultural space during his second term.
Earlier this year, Trump appointed himself chairman of the Kennedy Center, further signaling a desire to influence national arts policy.
The administration has also aggressively opposed efforts to rename military bases or remove Confederate statues, often seen as symbols of racial injustice. In a widely criticized move, Trump restored the names Fort Bragg and Fort Benning, despite federal legislation that prohibited honoring Confederate generals. The administration claims the restored names now honor other individuals.
Controversial History with Monuments and Race
Trump’s latest cultural intervention echoes earlier controversies — notably in 2017, when he infamously defended white nationalists who protested the removal of a statue of Confederate commander Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia. His comment that there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protest was widely condemned.
This newest order appears aimed at galvanizing Trump’s base, particularly in an election year, by reinforcing a vision of American identity rooted in patriotism, traditional values, and historical exceptionalism — even if that means reshaping how that history is presented in federal museums.
Whether the Smithsonian will comply, resist, or challenge the order remains to be seen. It sets up a potential legal showdown over free speech, historical interpretation, and the role of government in shaping cultural institutions.
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