Tag

Smithsonian

All articles tagged with #smithsonian

politics2 hours ago•19 min saved

Trump Admin Seeks to Rewrite America's Story, Sparking Smithsonian Fallout

Heather Cox Richardson argues that the Trump administration is attempting to rewrite U.S. history by portraying the country as founded on white, European heritage, criticizing a White House report that claims the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History ‘erases’ heritage. The piece details congressional hearings, partisan attacks on museum director Anthea Hartig, the administration's executive order to place corrective signage at the Smithsonian, and the broader warning that politicizing history threatens public trust and the accuracy of our national story.

via Letters from an American | Heather Cox Richardson | Substack|

#american-history #dei #history-education

world1 day ago•12 min saved

Trump orders warning signs at Smithsonian to claim history is misrepresented

President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing warning signs to be posted outside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, claiming the exhibits present inaccurate information about American history and directing the Interior Department to install signs and point visitors to sources of 'accurate information.' The move follows a White House assessment that the Smithsonian cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly, while Smithsonian officials defend the museum's scholarship.

via The Independent|

#americas #donald-trump #executive-order

politics1 day ago•8 min saved

Smithsonian Faces Capitol Clash Over Dropping 'American History' from Mission

A House hearing probes why the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removed the phrase 'American history' from its mission statement, with Rep. Mike Carey demanding explanations while Anthea Hartig defends the move as broadening voices and linking history to civic understanding rather than erasing the nation's past amid broader culture-war debates.

via Fox News|

#america-first #american-history #congressional-hearing

politics2 days ago•2 min saved

Trump orders warning signs at Smithsonian over contested historical narrative

President Trump issued an executive order directing the Interior Department to install temporary warning signs outside the National Museum of American History, telling visitors that the museum’s historical accounts are not accurate and directing them to resources for “accurate information.” The move follows a White House report criticizing the museum as promoting a woke, activist narrative, and comes amid congressional criticism of the museum’s leadership. It remained unclear by July 25, 2026 whether any signs had been placed.

via USA Today|

#executive-order #national-museum-of-american-history #politics

politics3 days ago•6 min saved

Trump orders 'accurate history' signs outside National Museum of American History

President Trump directed signs be placed on National Park Service sidewalks outside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History directing visitors to a White House report criticizing the museum’s portrayal of American history, and called for a temporary exhibit to correct what his administration calls inaccurate information. The move comes amid congressional scrutiny of the Smithsonian’s governance and funding, as the museum defends its scholarship and independence from political interference.

via Fox News|

#history #national-museum-of-american-history #politics

politics3 days ago•2 min saved

Trump pushes signage near Smithsonian to challenge history narrative

President Trump ordered the Interior Department to install temporary signs along sidewalks leading to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History accusing the museum of inaccuracy and directing visitors to alternative sources for American-history information; the plan, to be carried out with the National Park Service and White House domestic-policy aides, also targets how the Declaration of Independence is commemorated during the 250th anniversary. The move drew swift criticism from historians and drew support from Trump allies, while the Smithsonian’s leadership defended its scholarship and integrity amid debates about political interference in museums.

via The Guardian|

#domestic-policy #history #politics

politics3 days ago•3 min saved

Trump orders warning signs at Smithsonian over history narrative

President Trump signed an executive order directing temporary warning signs near the Smithsonian National Museum of American History to alert visitors about allegedly inaccurate exhibits and direct them to “accurate information” about American history, basing the move on a White House report that accuses Smithsonian leadership of politicizing history; the White House says the museum has veered toward activism, while Interior is tasked with installing the signage; Smithsonian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

via The Washington Post|

#american-history #culture-war #misinformation

politics5 days ago•8 min saved

Smithsonian Chief Defends Exhibits Amid GOP Criticism Over Franklin Display

Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig faced House Republicans over alleged woke bias and a White House report accusing the museum of ideological capture, defending the museum’s exhibits and saying she has no regrets, even as critics highlighted a Franklin exhibit that suggested experiments on enslaved people without conclusive evidence.

via Fox News|

#anthea-hartig #benjamin-franklin #electric-dr-franklin-exhibit

politics6 days ago•9 min saved

Mace confronts Smithsonian chief on gender at Capitol hearing

During a House subcommittee hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace pressed Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig on whether men can become women; Hartig dodged, saying such questions aren’t relevant to the museum’s mission of representing all Americans. Mace criticized displays featuring drag queens and a glossary noting multiple genders, while Hartig argued the museum preserves and presents evidence without taking sides. The exchange unfolds amid a White House report alleging ideological activism at the Smithsonian.

via Fox News|

#anthea-hartig #gender-identity #house-hearing

us-politics6 days ago•19 min saved

GOP Presses Smithsonian Over Its Narrative of American History

At a House subcommittee hearing, Republican lawmakers harshly criticized Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, after a White House report accused the museum of downplaying the founders and overemphasizing slavery, immigration and transgender issues; Democrats defended the museum, including exhibitions like Entertainment Nation and Girlhood (It's complicated).

via The New York Times|

#anthea-hartig #gop #house-subcommittee

politics21 days ago•19 min saved

White House Takes Aim at Smithsonian’s History Narrative

The White House released a 162-page report accusing the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History of 'extreme political activism' as part of President Trump’s effort to reshape the telling of the United States’ founding story, a move that followed his July 4 address and drew swift criticism from historians.

via The New York Times|

#1776 #history-narrative #national-museum-of-american-history

politics21 days ago•7 min saved

White House Report on Smithsonian Draws Fire for Biased History

An op-ed argues the White House’s 160-page report accusing the National Museum of American History of “ideological capture” is itself biased and selective, misreading evidence on race and immigration, and aimed at enforcing a single celebratory narrative of American exceptionalism, while praising the Smithsonian for presenting diverse perspectives and prompting critical questions about the nation’s past.

via The Washington Post|

#bias #history #immigration

politics22 days ago•19 min saved

White House Accuses Smithsonian of Radical Activism Over History Exhibit

The White House released a report accusing Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History of being captured by ‘radical, activist ideology,’ criticizing its Entertainment Nation wing for presenting history through contemporary identity themes and singling out Hamilton’s portrayal. The document argues this framing distorts founders’ histories and highlights other sensitive exhibits, while Smithsonian officials defend nonpartisan scholarship and warn against political interference; historians’ groups echoed concerns about the administration steering historical interpretation amid broader efforts to reshape America’s historical narrative.

via Deadline|

#culture-wars #entertainment-nation #hamilton

politics22 days ago•20 min saved

White House labels Smithsonian activism as ‘extreme’ in new 162-page review

The White House released a 162-page report, Saving America’s Story, under a 2025 executive order aimed at removing ‘improper ideology’ from Smithsonian museums, accusing the National Museum of American History of extreme political activism and erasing America’s heritage, signaling intensified political pressure on the institution.

via The Washington Post|

#history #museums #politics

politics22 days ago•2 min saved

White House accuses Smithsonian of turning history into activism

The White House released a 162-page report accusing Smithsonian's National Museum of American History leaders, including director Anthea Hartig, of embracing extreme political activism and shifting from traditional scholarship to social-justice framing as part of a broader Trump-era review of eight high-profile Smithsonian museums; Smithsonian officials defend nonpartisan scholarship, while critics say the effort amounts to whitewashing history.

via USA Today|

#anthea-hartig #historical-interpretation #political-activism