White House accuses Smithsonian of promoting ‘radical ideology,’ questions its approach to history

The White House published a report accusing the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution—and in particular the National Museum of American History (NMAH)—of having been taken over by a "radical and activist ideology" which, according to the document, has diverted the museum’s mission from historical education toward political activism.

The report, released by the White House National Policy Council following the executive order signed by President Donald Trump on restoring “truth and sanity” in American history, argues that the institution “cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.”

Titled “Saving America’s Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage,” the report asserts that the museum has replaced a shared historical narrative with an ideological approach. According to the document, “this ideological capture has shifted the Museum’s mission away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country.”

The National Policy Council argues that the museum portrays the United States primarily as a country defined by “white supremacy, slavery, conquest, exclusion, hierarchy, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and systemic injustice,” and asserts that traditional patriotic narratives have been sidelined or reinterpreted for ideological purposes.

Among its main conclusions, the report states that the museum lacks exhibits dedicated to the Founding Fathers, the American Revolution, or figures such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and criticizes the fact that the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence was “problematized” rather than celebrated. It also questions changes to the museum’s mission statement, the creation of programs focused on social justice, and the incorporation of content related to immigration, gender identity, race and other contemporary issues into its exhibitions and educational programs.