Trump Imposes Ideological Censorship at Smithsonian's American History Museum
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order forcing the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to display warning signs, demanding exhibits be changed to fit a White House narrative that downplays uncomfortable truths about U.S. history.
President Donald Trump, in a move widely criticized as an attempt to rewrite history for political gain, signed an executive order on July 24 instructing the Interior Department to install temporary signage at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. These signs are intended to inform visitors that the museum’s displays should be 'revised' according to a 162-page White House Domestic Policy Council report released on July 4—a report that many see as an effort to whitewash the nation’s past and silence marginalized voices. The order further directs the signs to steer visitors toward other locations and resources that the administration claims provide 'accurate information regarding America’s history,' raising concerns about government overreach and propaganda.
The White House report harshly criticized the museum’s presentation of historical events, accusing it of reshaping the national narrative—an accusation that rings hollow given the administration’s own attempts to suppress critical perspectives on issues like slavery, Indigenous genocide, and systemic racism. The order also complains that the museum has not sufficiently glorified the signers of the Declaration of Independence for the United States’ 250th anniversary, and demands more temporary exhibits or signage along National Park Service areas to correct so-called 'inaccuracies.'
Republican members of the House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman Tim Burchett, have publicly attacked museum director Anthea Hartig, accusing the museum of having a partisan agenda. Hartig, however, defended the museum’s efforts to broaden the narrative by including more diverse evidence and voices, arguing that telling a fuller story is essential to respecting the American people and striving for a more just society.
As of July 25, it was unclear whether the required signs had been installed. Both the White House and the Smithsonian Institution declined to comment, while the museum remains open daily to the public, except on Christmas Day, with free admission.