US President Donald Trump has recently signed an executive order aimed at the Smithsonian Institution, which encompasses more than 20 museums and research centers that attract millions of visitors each year in Washington D.C. and New York City. The order mandates Vice President JD Vance to oversee the removal of what is considered "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" contained within these cultural institutions, including the National Zoo. Additionally, it directs Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to restore federal landmarks and statues that have been altered or removed, citing a need to counteract what he describes as a "false revision of history."
Titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," Trump's directive signifies his broader agenda to reform American culture alongside political structures. Notably, the order states that funding for Smithsonian exhibits and programs that foster division by race should not be supported by Congress. The American Women's History Museum is specifically mentioned in the order for allegedly planning to "recognize men as women." Furthermore, it critiques the National Museum of African American History and Culture, suggesting that it wrongly categorizes traditional values like "hard work" and "individualism" as elements of "White culture."
The Smithsonian operates 21 museums and the National Zoo, with annual free admission drawing in between 15 to 30 million visitors. Trump's order also includes specific instructions for renovations to Independence Hall in Philadelphia as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's signing. The president continues to target what he perceives as "woke" ideology in American culture through various initiatives, including those aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the federal sphere. His earlier decisions, such as dismissing the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, faced backlash from the arts community.
