WASHINGTON — The White House has sharply criticized the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution in a new report that accuses senior officials, particularly at the National Museum of American History, of advancing what it describes as an ideological agenda, marking the latest step in President Donald Trump's campaign to reshape federally supported cultural institutions.
The 162-page report, released by the White House Domestic Policy Council on July 4, argues that museum leadership has shifted the Smithsonian away from historical scholarship and toward political activism. It alleges that exhibits and educational materials place excessive emphasis on themes including racism and inequality at the expense of what the administration calls a fuller presentation of American history.
The report follows a March executive order directing a review of Smithsonian programs and funding related to what the administration has described as "divisive narratives" and "improper ideology." Although the White House did not announce immediate personnel changes, the report's language has fueled speculation that the administration could seek new leadership at parts of the institution. White House officials have not publicly outlined a timetable for any such action.
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch has defended the institution's work, saying its exhibitions are guided by scholarship rather than politics. In previously reported remarks, Bunch said the Smithsonian has cooperated with administration requests while maintaining its independence as a research and educational institution.
"My goal is that history is driven by scholarship, not partisanship," Bunch said, adding that the Smithsonian's work "is always about what our scholarship tells us."
The Smithsonian, the world's largest museum, education and research complex, occupies a unique status as a public-private institution that receives substantial federal funding but operates independently of the executive branch.
Critics of the administration's approach argue that efforts to reshape museum exhibits risk politicizing historical interpretation. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, among those responding to earlier administration actions involving cultural institutions, has accused the White House of attempting to rewrite history by discouraging the presentation of difficult aspects of the nation's past.
The dispute forms part of a broader Trump administration effort to influence federal cultural and educational institutions ahead of events marking the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. Previous White House actions have included expanded reviews of Smithsonian exhibits and directives aimed at emphasizing what the administration calls American exceptionalism in publicly supported historical presentations.
