Overview

• On August 12, President Trump gave Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch III 120 days to replace what the White House calls divisive or ideological language with unifying descriptions.
• The White House on August 21 published "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian," a list naming exhibits and texts it deems objectionable across several museums.
• Targets include a National Museum of African American History and Culture text on defining white culture, Pride flags and an LGBTQ+ history display, an Afrofuturist show, Black Lives Matter references, and an animated Anthony Fauci portrait.
• Earlier in August, the administration launched a review of selected Smithsonian museums to ensure alignment with the directive to celebrate American exceptionalism.
• Artists and scholars publicly defended their work, with Ibram X. Kendi and Amy Sherald among those speaking out, while more than 150 U.S. arts organizations signed a pledge to resist political pressure; reporting identifies lawyer Lindsey Halligan as overseeing the review despite no museum background.