Trump admin preparing to display signage in front of Smithsonian museum warning of ideological bias
The move follows complaints that Smithsonian exhibits promote progressive views and comes as the institution faces governance changes and a planned Latino American museum.
- President Donald Trump plans to install a "colossus" George Washington statue outside the National Museum of American History, alongside signs warning visitors that the museum's content is biased.
- A 162-page White House report released in July argued the museum fell victim to an "ideological capture," prompting Trump's push to replace what he termed "divisive" language with "unifying, historically accurate" descriptions.
- Republican lawmakers lambasted museum leadership during July hearings, citing exhibits like "Girlhood " and "The Electric Dr. Franklin," which critics claimed presented Franklin's accomplishments as "enabled by slavery."
- Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch announced his resignation on September 8 amid warnings of deep budget cuts, while three Board of Regents citizen slots remain vacant, creating uncertainty for future leadership.
- The Smithsonian's longstanding struggle to balance technological displays with a unified American history narrative now faces potential crisis as some conservatives propose declaring institutional independence from federal government funding.
11 Articles
11 Articles
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In November 2021, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened an exhibit called “The Electric Dr. Franklin,” describing “Benjamin Franklin’s pioneering contributions to electrical science.” The exhibit explained that, prior to becoming an abolitionist, he had enslaved people in his household. “Benjamin Franklin’s remarkable scientific accomplishments were, in part, enabled by slavery,” it declared. The exhibit speculated that Fr…
ProPublica
How the Smithsonian Became the Latest Front in Trump’s Culture War
The Smithsonian — particularly its National Museum of American History — has faced withering pressure from the Trump administration. It’s the culmination of decades of criticism by conservatives and other groups.
New In Civitas: The Smithsonian Should Be Privatized
The Smithsonian Institution has been in the news. President Trump wants to place a "colossus" George Washington statute outside the National Museum of American History, as well as signs warning that the content inside the museum is biased. On the flip side, the Secretary of the Smithsonian is stepping down, and the institution bypassed Congress to build a new Latino American museum. Relatedly, the Smithsonian spent years and untold amounts of mo…
Trump admin preparing to display signage in front of Smithsonian museum warning of ideological bias
The Trump administration is reportedly preparing signs that will accuse the National Museum of American History of ideological capture, following an executive order from President Donald Trump over the summer. According to a Sept. 3 letter from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently obtained by The Atlantic, the National Park Service is preparing to display about […]
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