Trump orders new signs outside Smithsonian saying some exhibits are
inaccurate
[July 25, 2026]
By JONATHAN J. COOPER
President Donald Trump ordered his administration Friday to install
signs in front of the Smithsonian Institution 's U.S. history museum
telling visitors that some of the exhibits are inaccurate, his latest
move to reshape how the story of the United States is told.
Trump's move follows a report released July 4 by his Domestic Policy
Council saying leaders of the Smithsonian and its National Museum of
American History don't tell history “in a way that is inspiring,
unifying, and worthy of our great republic.”
The president lacks authority to quickly fire the Smithsonian leadership
or to order changes to exhibits, so his executive order targets the
sidewalks out front, which are maintained by the National Park Service.
His executive order calls for signs telling visitors about the White
House report and directing them to resources for what he calls “accurate
information regarding America’s history.” It also calls for a temporary
exhibit that corrects information he deems inaccurate.
Smithsonian officials declined to comment on Trump's order.
Anthea M. Hartig, director of the American history museum, pushed back
on the White House report during congressional hearings this week.
“As we continue to fact check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it
does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the
museum,” she told lawmakers. “There is always room for improvement. But
I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies
in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.”
The Smithsonian operates outside the executive branch and museum
directors report to Secretary Lonnie Bunch, who is subject to oversight
from a Board of Regents.
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Trump’s escalating effort to force changes at the Smithsonian marks
the Republican president’s latest move to transform cultural pillars
of society, such as universities and art, that he considers out of
step with conservative sensibilities. Trump had himself installed as
chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with
the aim of overhauling programming, and his handpicked board voted
to add his name to the building, only to have a federal judge later
order the signs to be removed.
Trump has also imposed changes on historical sites beyond
Washington, including in Philadelphia, where the administration won
a court ruling last week allowing it to reinstall interpretive
panels that critics say whitewash the history of slavery at the site
of President George Washington’s home. Advocates, academics and
officials have been concerned for months that the version that
complies with Trump’s order could give a history that plays down the
pain in the nation’s past in favor of a more triumphant view.
Trump in March revealed his intention to force changes at the
Smithsonian Institution with an executive order that targeted
funding for programs that advanced “divisive narratives” and
“improper ideology.”
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