Trump Orders Signs Outside Smithsonian Museum to Challenge Exhibit Content

Executive Order Targets Museum Sidewalks

Because the Smithsonian operates as an independent entity outside the executive branch, the president lacks the direct authority to fire its leadership or unilaterally alter exhibit content. Instead, the administration is focusing its intervention on the exterior of the National Museum of American History.

The order instructs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to coordinate with the National Park Service to place temporary signage along public walkways and sidewalks surrounding the museum. The signs will also direct the public toward resources the administration deems to provide accurate information regarding America’s history.

The White House Report and Allegations of Bias

The directive draws heavily from the July 4 White House report, titled Saving America’s Story. The document claims that the Smithsonian’s current leadership views history as a ‘prime tool’ to advance ideas of social justice and the radical transformation of our society, according to CBS News. The report further argues that the museum has adopted an framework that treats American history as a vehicle for division rather than a shared national inheritance.

In his executive order, President Trump stated that the current leadership of both the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum cannot be trusted to tell America’s story with honesty and gratitude, as noted by Reuters. The White House report specifically recommended that the museum post a warning at its entrance, reading: Warning: the exhibits in this museum were prepared by people who don’t want you to love your country.

Smithsonian Leadership Responds to Federal Pressure

The Smithsonian Institution has maintained a stance of professional independence throughout the controversy. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch and National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig have both pushed back against the characterizations found in the White House report. In an email to NBC News, Secretary Bunch defended the institution’s commitment to scholarship and integrity.

“At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.”

Lonnie Bunch, Smithsonian Secretary

She stated that while the museum is open to improvement, the White House report does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum. She further testified that the museum’s educational approach is most effective when patriotism is not instructed but inspired.

Broader Context of Cultural Interventions

This order is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Trump administration to reshape cultural institutions. In March 2025, the president signed an executive order targeting federal funding for programs he claimed promoted divisive narratives and improper ideology.

Critics and academic organizations have expressed significant alarm regarding these moves. The Organization of American Historians, which represents a large body of U.S. history scholars, has formally rejected the claims presented in the July 4 report.

As of Friday, the Smithsonian has declined to comment specifically on the latest executive order, and it remains unclear how quickly the National Park Service will mobilize to install the requested signage on the museum’s perimeter.