The White House placed new pressure on the Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday, saying that it would make good on its promise to review 19 Smithsonian museums in a letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III.
Those museums have already been targeted by President Donald Trump and other senior White House officials, with the Trump already releasing an op-ed that called for a purge of “anti-American ideology” from all Smithsonian museums. But the letter, news of which was first reported as an exclusive by the Wall Street Journal, suggests that Trump now intends to bear down on the Smithsonian with greater force.
Texts and exhibitions will be reviewed by the White House, as will grants given to artists and collection displays.
“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the president’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” the letter reportedly said.
The letter was signed by White House senior associate Lindsey Halligan; Vince Haley, director of the domestic policy council; and Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget. Halligan said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal that Smithsonian presentations must be “accurate, patriotic, and enlightening—ensuring they remain places of learning, wonder, and national pride for generations to come.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the 19 museums include three institutions predominantly focused on art: the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Also subject to review are the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian, both of which incorporate artworks into their historical displays.
Trump already explicitly took aim at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in his executive order, claiming that their shows constituted proof that the Smithsonian had “come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology.”
The National Portrait Gallery, meanwhile, made headlines last month when Amy Sherald canceled a planned version of that museum’s version of her traveling survey. Sherald said she was being censored by the museum, which she said wanted her to remove a painting of a Black trans woman posing as the Statue of Liberty.
And the National Museum of American History also received scrutiny for the editing of a display that formerly included mention of Trump’s impeachments. That institution subsequently put that display back on view—with altered text.
Such a review of these institutions was already known, and the Smithsonian said it would agree to comply with such a review. But it has not been clear what form that review would take until now. According to the Wall Street Journal, that review will be completed by the beginning of 2026.
