President Donald Trump’s White House is cracking the whip on the Smithsonian, demanding a sweeping review to purge its museums of woke narratives, as the Wall Street Journal reports. The administration’s bold move targets exhibitions and operations to ensure they reflect a proud, unified vision of American history as the nation gears up for its 250th anniversary. This isn’t about censorship -- it’s about restoring a patriotic pulse to our cultural heartbeat.
The White House has launched a comprehensive audit of Smithsonian content to align it with Trump’s vision of American exceptionalism. This initiative, sparked by an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” aims to scrub divisive, race-obsessed ideologies from the nation’s premier cultural institutions.
On Tuesday, White House officials Lindsey Halligan, Vince Haley, and Russ Vought fired off a letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, outlining the review’s scope. The letter, reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, demands detailed data on everything from exhibition texts to artist grants. The Smithsonian has 30 days to comply, or face the administration’s unrelenting scrutiny.
The review spans eight Washington-based Smithsonian museums, including heavyweights such as the National Museum of American History and the National Air and Space Museum. It’s not just about what’s on display -- internal curatorial processes, online content, and even visitor surveys are under the microscope. The goal? To ensure every exhibit celebrates America’s greatness, not its grievances.
White House officials declared their mission is to “celebrate American exceptionalism” and eliminate “divisive or partisan narratives.” “This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the president’s directive,” they wrote, signaling a no-nonsense approach to reshaping cultural narratives. Sorry, progressives -- your days of rewriting history to fit a victimhood agenda are numbered.
The Smithsonian’s Board of Regents, including Vice President JD Vance, has agreed to comb through all museum and zoo content to root out political bias. Vance is tasked with working alongside Congress to block funding for any exhibitions that cling to diversity, equity, and inclusion dogma. This is a clear shot across the bow of woke curators who’ve turned museums into soapboxes.
The review is set to wrap up by early 2026, just in time for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The White House will conduct walk-throughs of exhibits and voluntary curator interviews to sniff out ideological slant. It’s a hands-on approach that promises to keep the Smithsonian on its toes.
The administration has also requested organization charts, lists of grant-receiving artists, and internal communications about exhibit selections. This level of detail shows Trump means business -- no stone will be left unturned in this cultural cleanup. The Smithsonian better brace for a thorough housecleaning.
“This is about preserving trust in one of our most cherished institutions,” said Halligan, emphasizing the need for “accurate, patriotic, and enlightening” content. Her words are a rallying cry for those tired of seeing America’s story twisted into a tale of oppression. The Smithsonian should be a shrine to national pride, not a platform for ideological crusades.
The Smithsonian responded with a carefully worded statement, claiming its work is “grounded in scholarly excellence” and promising to collaborate with the White House. Sounds like they’re already sweating under the pressure of Trump’s oversight. Cooperation is wise -- resistance would only dig a deeper hole.
Critics, predictably, are clutching their pearls. Sarah Weicksel of the American Historical Association fretted that historians might lose control, warning the public could miss out on “reliable and engaging content.” Reliable? More like reliably skewed to fit a progressive mold that paints America as the eternal villain.
Harvard’s Tiya Miles chimed in, lamenting that Smithsonian museums have never reflected “one person’s view.” Her complaint misses the point: the issue isn’t one man’s vision, but a collective push to stop academia’s obsession with division. The American people deserve museums that unite, not lecture.
The review zeroes in on exhibits planned for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a milestone that demands celebration, not critique. The Smithsonian is tasked with appointing a representative to work with the administration on these plans. It’s a chance to showcase America’s triumphs, not dwell on its supposed sins.
Trump’s executive order calls out the Smithsonian for embracing a “divisive, race-centered ideology” that trashes Western values. The administration’s solution? Replace ideologically charged language with “unifying, historically accurate” content that reflects America’s true spirit. This isn’t about erasing history -- it’s about telling it straight.
The White House insists it won’t meddle in curators’ daily work, focusing instead on big-picture alignment. That’s a smart move -- let the professionals handle the details, but make sure the narrative serves the nation, not a narrow agenda. As 2026 looms, the Smithsonian faces a reckoning: will it embrace America’s greatness or cling to woke orthodoxy?
