Trump Orders Smithsonian to Remove 'Anti-American Ideology' from Exhibits

The executive order directs Vice President JD Vance to oversee ideological changes at the Smithsonian and restoration of federal monuments altered since 2020.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' targeting what he calls 'divisive' and 'anti-American' content in Smithsonian exhibits.
Vice President JD Vance, a Smithsonian Board of Regents member, has been tasked with implementing the order by identifying and removing 'improper ideology' from Smithsonian programs and exhibits.
The order specifically criticizes the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the forthcoming American Women’s History Museum for promoting 'race-centered' and 'divisive' narratives.
It also directs the Interior Department to restore federal monuments and memorials removed or altered since 2020, citing concerns over 'false reconstructions' of history.
The Smithsonian Institution, which has not yet commented, faces criticism from historians and civil rights advocates who argue the move undermines historical representation and institutional independence.