White House report criticizes Smithsonian leadership as activist and untrustworthy

A report issued by the White House Domestic Policy Council on Independence Day described the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution, particularly the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted to present an honest account of the nation’s past. The document, prepared by a team that includes a former senior Trump speechwriter, said the museum’s current interpretive approach has shifted from historical scholarship toward "extreme political activism."

The council’s findings come as President Donald Trump has signaled intent to use an executive order to alter funding for Smithsonian programs he deems to promote "divisive narratives" and "improper ideology." The administration has previously targeted other cultural and academic institutions, including the Kennedy Center and Columbia University, and has pursued legal actions to modify historical displays at sites such as President George Washington’s home in Philadelphia.

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the institution’s first African American leader, did not respond to requests for comment. In a recent interview, Bunch emphasized a commitment to making the nation’s aspirations accessible to a broad audience and to understanding how history shapes the present.

Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania warned that the president’s efforts amount to a rewrite of history, stating, "There's not one individual narrative that a president gets about our history... any president should want to make sure that full history is shared."

The council’s report concluded that the museum’s leadership has subjected the institution to what it called "institutional capture" by a radical activist ideology, and called for a restoration of what it described as "truth and sanity" in the presentation of American history.