The White House has reportedly issued a sweeping directive to the Smithsonian Institution, demanding that every museum under its umbrella review, revise, and in some cases remove exhibits to ensure they reflect Donald Trump’s preferred interpretation of U.S. history — a move that has sparked outrage among historians, curators, and civil liberties groups.
According to internal documents obtained by The Washington Post, the order, circulated late Monday night, instructs Smithsonian leaders to conduct a “patriotic audit” of exhibits and displays across its 21 museums and research centers, from the National Air and Space Museum to the National Museum of American History. The directive specifically calls for the removal of “negative or divisive portrayals” of the nation’s founding, military actions, and political leaders.
One senior official, speaking to The New York Times on condition of anonymity, said the move is part of a broader White House campaign to “re-center America’s story around strength, unity, and greatness” — language that closely echoes the former president’s 1776 Commission launched in his first term.
“We’re talking about a total reframing of the nation’s narrative,” the official said. “Everything from slavery to Vietnam to Watergate will be presented through a lens of American resilience and triumph.”
The Smithsonian is under direct orders from Trump’s White House to ‘align exhibits’ with his version of history. This is straight-up state propaganda. pic.twitter.com/4nxjL7pxzW— American History Watch (@HistoryWatchUSA) August 13, 2025
Emails reviewed by reporters show that curators have been given 90 days to submit revised exhibit plans. Among the targeted displays are the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s section on Jim Crow laws, the National Portrait Gallery’s Watergate-era coverage, and the National Museum of the American Indian’s exhibit on forced relocations and massacres.
In one case, an internal memo allegedly demanded that a Vietnam War gallery replace photographs of civilian casualties with “images of American heroism” and “victories on the battlefield.” Another called for removing descriptions of civil rights struggles that “portray the U.S. government as an antagonist rather than a defender of liberty.”
The White House has defended the directive, with Press Secretary Laura Caldwell telling Fox News that “President Trump believes our nation’s greatest institutions should inspire pride, not shame. The Smithsonian should reflect that spirit.”
However, critics say the order is a dangerous form of political interference. “This is not about patriotism,” said Dr. Elaine Rutherford, a historian at Harvard University. “This is about rewriting history to fit one man’s political agenda.”
Multiple museum employees told NPR they fear the changes will erase decades of scholarship. “We’ve spent years ensuring our exhibits reflect the complexities of our history — the good, the bad, and the ugly,” one curator said. “Now we’re being told to sanitize it.”
The White House telling the Smithsonian to ‘revise history’ is a chilling echo of authoritarian regimes throughout history. pic.twitter.com/WaQehCJEsY— Civil Liberties Now (@CLN_USA) August 13, 2025
While the Smithsonian is federally funded, it traditionally operates independently of the White House in matters of content. Legal experts told Politico the order could face constitutional challenges, particularly under the First Amendment. “If the federal government is dictating what is and isn’t acceptable historical interpretation, that’s a serious threat to academic freedom,” said constitutional lawyer Mark Elston.
The move also appears to be part of a larger cultural push by the Trump administration to reshape national narratives. Earlier this year, the Department of Education announced plans to require “patriotic civics” curricula in public schools, a policy that sparked protests in cities from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Some of the most heated debate surrounds the National Museum of African American History and Culture. According to leaked documents shared with The Guardian, the White House has requested that the museum remove panels detailing the role of systemic racism in housing and policing. “The goal,” one memo reads, “is to focus on Black achievement and progress rather than victimhood.”
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III has so far declined to comment publicly, but insiders say he has privately pushed back against some of the White House’s demands. “Lonnie understands the stakes here,” one staffer told Rolling Stone. “This isn’t just about one exhibit — it’s about the soul of the institution.”
Rewriting museum exhibits to fit Trump’s worldview isn’t just bad history. It’s propaganda with a government seal. pic.twitter.com/Qg0Vq6b7mu— Liberty and Truth (@LibertyTruthUSA) August 13, 2025
Outside the Smithsonian, advocacy groups are mobilizing. The American Historical Association has launched a petition demanding the administration withdraw the order, gathering over 200,000 signatures in 48 hours. The ACLU has hinted at possible legal action, saying the directive “crosses a constitutional line.”
Visitors to the museums are also speaking out. “I bring my kids here to learn the truth, not a watered-down version,” said Amanda Lewis, a teacher visiting the National Museum of Natural History. “If they start erasing certain parts, what’s next?”
The controversy has spilled into Congress, where several lawmakers are calling for hearings. Senator Elizabeth Warren said in a statement to CNN that “this is an authoritarian play, plain and simple.” Meanwhile, Republican allies of Trump have defended the order, with Senator Josh Hawley praising it as “a necessary corrective to decades of left-wing bias in our institutions.”
For many, the standoff recalls Trump’s earlier clashes with the National Park Service, the Library of Congress, and even the Census Bureau over data, displays, and public messaging. “This is a pattern,” said Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen. “Control the narrative, control the future.”
As of Wednesday morning, several museum directors were reportedly preparing compromise proposals that would adjust language in certain exhibits without removing them entirely. But curators say even small changes risk undermining historical integrity. “If you change one fact to make someone look better, you’re no longer telling history — you’re telling a story,” said one staff historian.
The Smithsonian Board of Regents is expected to meet in emergency session later this week to discuss the order and possible legal strategies. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that outside counsel has been retained to examine whether the White House directive constitutes unlawful interference.
Meanwhile, social media continues to erupt. The hashtag #HandsOffHistory trended nationally Tuesday night, with users posting photos of themselves at Smithsonian exhibits they fear could be altered or removed.