White House Critiques Smithsonian Leadership for Radical Ideology

WHO:

CNN - The White House Domestic Policy Council

CNN - Lonnie Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian

WTOP - Anthea M. Hartig, first woman to serve as director of the National Museum of American History

WTOP - Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa.

WHAT:

CNN - The White House accused Smithsonian leadership of adopting a divisive, far-left ideological framework.

CNN - The report is 162 pages long and was published on the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

WTOP - The report brands Smithsonian leadership as radical activists who cannot be trusted.

WTOP - The report indicates that President Trump may be preparing to install his own team at the Smithsonian.

WTOP - The report states that the National Museum of American History cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly.

WTOP - The White House ordered a comprehensive internal review of exhibits and materials at the Smithsonian Institution.

WHERE:

CNN - Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

CNN - The report was published on Independence Day.

CNN - An executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” was issued in March 2025.

CNN - The White House ordered the internal review last August.

WHY:

CNN - The White House claims the Smithsonian has moved its mission away from historical education toward political activism.

WTOP - The report criticizes the current leadership for undermining faith in American institutions and shared ideals.

HOW:

CNN - The White House is tasked with rooting out what it considers anti-American propaganda at the Smithsonian.

WTOP - The report suggests that the museum's leadership has been captured by a radical, activist ideology.

(UPDATED July 5, 2026 23:23 UTC)

The White House has accused Smithsonian leadership of adopting a divisive, far-left ideological framework, branding them as radical activists who cannot be trusted. A comprehensive internal review of exhibits and materials at the Smithsonian Institution has been ordered, following a report that claims the National Museum of American History cannot be relied upon to tell America's story honestly. This report, published on Independence Day, suggests that President Trump may be preparing to install his own team at the Smithsonian as part of a broader effort to root out what the White House considers anti-American propaganda.