Overview

• In a Truth Social post, the president called museums the “last remaining segment of ‘WOKE’” and said he told his attorneys to “go through the Museums” using the same process applied to colleges and universities.
• A letter dated Aug. 12 from senior aides outlined a comprehensive review to ensure exhibitions “celebrate American exceptionalism,” with 30/75/120-day deliverables and initial requests for materials within 30 days.
• The initial focus includes eight Smithsonian sites such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of American History, Natural History, the American Indian Museum, Air and Space, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Hirshhorn.
• The Smithsonian said it is reviewing the letter and reaffirmed its commitment to rigorous, factual scholarship while pledging to collaborate with the White House, Congress and its Board of Regents.
• Reporting highlights that the strategy could involve funding and regulatory pressure, reflecting steps taken against universities after a March executive order directing removal of “improper ideology.”