Trump Orders Removal of "Anti-American Ideology" from Smithsonian
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing Vice President JD Vance to remove “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution. The order, titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, claims certain museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, promote a “distorted narrative” that misrepresents U.S. history. It also singles out the American Women’s History Museum, accusing it of planning to “recognize men as women.” Trump argues that Smithsonian programs should not “divide Americans by race” and has tasked Vance with ensuring federal funding aligns with this vision.
The order also calls for the restoration of statues, memorials, and monuments removed since 2020, including Confederate figures taken down in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump, who has long opposed the removal of such monuments, claims their erasure represents a “false revision of history.” The order also directs the Interior Department to make “restorations and improvements” to Independence Hall in Philadelphia ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The executive order is part of Trump’s broader effort to reshape American culture, including past actions like appointing himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and eliminating diversity and inclusion initiatives. The Smithsonian has not commented on the order.
