Trump’s Executive Order Sparks Outcry Over Smithsonian Exhibit Restrictions

Ernest, a longtime Washington D.C. resident, stood near the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall, reacting to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order targeting federally funded museums. He called the move an attack on America’s core value of diversity.

The order, issued Thursday, directs the Smithsonian Institution—which oversees 21 museums and the National Zoo—to remove what Trump called "improper ideology" and "divisive narratives." Vice President JD Vance, a Smithsonian Board of Regents member, was appointed to oversee the order’s execution.

Trump specifically cited exhibits like “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which explores how sculpture has reflected racial attitudes in U.S. history. The National Museum of African American History and Culture was also accused of portraying Western culture as harmful.

Cindy Werner, a Republican with the Frederick Douglass Foundation, supported the move, claiming it would unify Americans by emphasizing shared values. The order echoes rhetoric from Project 2025, a conservative policy framework that contrasts “woke revolutionaries” with those defending the American Revolution’s ideals.

However, many historians disagree. UCLA professor Kyle Mays called it a "fascist move" aimed at erasing racism and sexism from U.S. history. Historian Clayborne Carson argued that the order itself reflects ideological revisionism. Amy Rutenberg of Iowa State University expressed concern over potential damage to historical accuracy.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, a Smithsonian board member, condemned the order as a distraction from Trump’s broader political agenda, including cuts to Medicaid and tariff hikes.

Visitors to the National Mall, including Tina van Pelt and her family, were disturbed by the news. “It’s unpatriotic,” she said, “to deny our actual history.”