On August 15, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that has set off a fierce debate over the future of the Smithsonian Institution and the way America tells its own story. The move, which comes as the nation prepares for its 250th birthday in 2026, signals a sweeping review of the Smithsonian’s museums and exhibits, with the stated goal of presenting American history in what the Trump administration calls a “fair” manner. But critics argue it’s a thinly veiled attempt to whitewash the country’s past and strip away uncomfortable truths about slavery, racism, and the resilience of Black Americans.
According to The Black Wall Street Times, Trump’s executive order is the latest in a series of efforts to recast the nation’s narrative. During his first term, he launched the 1776 Commission as a counter to The 1619 Project, which sought to center the legacy of slavery in American history. Now, with the stroke of a pen, he’s targeting the Smithsonian, the country’s most prestigious museum complex, to ensure that its portrayal of history aligns with his administration’s vision.
At the heart of the controversy is Trump’s insistence that the Smithsonian’s current exhibits are “woke” and “racist,” and that museums should present history in a way that is not offensive to white Americans. “We want the museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing,” Trump declared in the Oval Office, as reported by Fox News Digital. He went on to say, “Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad. But what happened over the years in an accurate way.”
The White House’s letter to the Smithsonian, sent on August 14, 2025, outlined plans for a comprehensive review of the institution’s museums and exhibits. The review will examine social media, exhibition text, and educational materials, with an eye toward “assessing tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.” The initiative aims to “remove divisive or partisan narratives” and “restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.” The museums under scrutiny include the National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of the American Indian, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a vocal supporter of the administration’s cultural agenda, echoed Trump’s sentiments. “The Smithsonian is supposed to be a global symbol of American strength, culture and prestige,” Miller posted on X (formerly Twitter). “A place for families and children to celebrate American history and greatness. Instead, the exhibits have clearly been taken over by leftwing activists who have used the Smithsonian as yet one platform to endlessly bash America and rewrite/erase our magnificent story.” Miller went further, accusing these activists of having “obscenely defaced this beloved institution,” and vowed that the Trump administration would “restore the patriotic glory of America and ensure the Smithsonian is a place that once more inspires love and devotion to this nation, especially among our youngest citizens.”
The Smithsonian, for its part, responded with a measured statement, emphasizing its commitment to scholarly rigor and factual accuracy. “The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” the institution said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The Smithsonian also noted that it was reviewing the administration’s letter and would work with the White House, Congress, and its governing Board of Regents moving forward.
Oversight of the review process has been entrusted to Vice President JD Vance, who was given authority in March 2025—via another Trump executive order—to oversee the removal of programs or exhibits deemed to “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.” Vance has already made his mark: artist Amy Sherald canceled an exhibit scheduled for September 2025 at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery after Vance claimed it featured “woke and divisive content,” as first reported by Fox News Digital.
For many historians and advocates, the administration’s actions have set off alarm bells. The Black Wall Street Times draws stark historical parallels, noting that controlling museums and historical narratives has long been a tool of authoritarian regimes. After the Civil War, the “Lost Cause” movement recast the Confederacy’s defeat as a noble stand for states’ rights, erasing slavery from the narrative. In Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler’s government rewrote museum exhibitions to erase Jewish history and glorify Aryan identity. “Both understood that by controlling the curator, you control the story, and by controlling the story, you control the people,” the article warns.
The stakes are particularly high given the Smithsonian’s leadership. The institution is currently led by Lonnie Bunch, its 14th Secretary and the first African American to hold the position. Bunch, who previously gave Trump a tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, now finds himself at the center of a national struggle over historical memory and representation.
Congress, as the Smithsonian’s primary funder and overseer, holds significant power in this unfolding drama. The Black Wall Street Times points to past instances where congressional oversight and public advocacy preserved the Smithsonian’s curatorial independence, such as during the controversies over the Enola Gay exhibit and Japanese-American internment in the 1990s. Lawmakers now face renewed calls to ensure that exhibits remain grounded in scholarship, not ideology, and to block any attempt to use federal dollars for propaganda.
At its core, this battle is about more than just museum displays. It’s about who gets to tell America’s story—and whose stories are told. “The Smithsonian is more than a collection of artifacts; it is a living archive of our national memory,” writes The Black Wall Street Times. “To manipulate its story is to manipulate America itself.”
As the nation approaches its semiquincentennial, the debate over the Smithsonian’s future has become a flashpoint in the broader culture war over race, history, and national identity. Trump and his supporters argue that the changes are necessary to restore pride and unity, while critics see them as an attempt to erase hard truths and entrench a sanitized, state-sponsored narrative.
In the end, the outcome will shape not just the Smithsonian’s halls, but the very way generations of Americans understand their country’s past—and, by extension, its present and future. The story of America, it seems, is still being written, and the pen is far from settled in anyone’s hand.