President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to aim for the Smithsonian and its museum, education and research centers.
Trump has directed Vice President J.D. Vance to remove “inappropriate, split or anti-American” ideology from the Smithsonian Association’s programs that receive federal funds.
“Once well-respected as a symbol of American excellence and cultural achievements, the Smithsonian institution has been under the influence of divisive, racially ideology in recent years,” reads Order. “This change has encouraged a narrative that portrays American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.”
In turn, Trump accused the Biden administration of advancing “corrosive ideology” at museums, and independent certain entities that they said had perpetuated “division” and “racial-centric” ideas, like the Museum of African-American History and Culture.
Representatives from the Smithsonian Association did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday night.
Vance, a member of the Smithsonian Regent Committee, will be tasked with working with Congressional leaders to appoint board members “committed to advance the celebration of America’s extraordinary heritage and progress.”
Trump’s orders also directed Interior Secretary Doug Burgham to restore federal parks and monuments that have been “improperly deleted or changed” over the past five years, and “denies or misrepresenting history corrections or improperly minimizing certain historical figures and events.”
The order follows Trump’s rationale for returning the name of Mount Denali in Alaska to Mount McKinley, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegses’ explanation to overturn the Biden administration’s decision to rename a military base honoring Confederate leaders.
Order comes as the Trump administration moves forward in the war on diversity, equity and inclusion. This is a widely used label that is applied to efforts to improve workplace culture and create more opportunities for underprivileged groups.
Trump issued an order to place all federal employees in the role of DEI on administrative leave, closed all DEI-related offices and programs, and removed references to the framework from all federal websites and social media accounts.
Similarly, the education department released a survey this month of over 50 universities accused of “engaging in racial emission practices in graduate programs.”
And this month, the Department of Defense removed thousands of pages celebrating the contributions of women, black people, Native Americans and other minority groups as part of an effort to prevent the concept of DEI. Some pages were restored after public backlash.
The Smithsonian facility was established by Parliament in 1846 to serve as an “establishment of increased knowledge and diffusion among men.”
It consists of 21 museums, 14 educational and research centres and a national zoo, all maintained by over 6,500 employees and over 3,800 on-site volunteers. Over 17 million people visit the museum’s collections each year.
The Smithsonian has two sources of funding. Federal budgets and income, revenue generated from gifts, and revenue-generating activities and investments. In its latest budget request, the agency has funded “essential operating expenses” by asking Congress for more than $1 billion.
“Donorers tend to be attracted to museum openings and exhibitions, which rely on the federal government to help support, rather than annual budget requirements for staffing, maintenance and sales. For all collaborations and supporting funding sources, the US Congress will remain our most important partner.
Trump’s orders direct the administration to work with Congress, ensuring future Smithsonian funds “will not go to exhibitions or programs that promote ideology that are in conflict with federal law, or “recognize men as women.”
