White House Accuses Smithsonian of Ideological Capture in Report

The White House Domestic Policy Council released a 162-page report on July 4 titled "Saving America’s Story," which accuses the Smithsonian Institution of "ideological capture." The report alleges the National Museum of American History promotes a "radical view" of American history through "extreme political activism" regarding race, immigration, and gender, characterizing the museum as a political instrument used to divide citizens.

Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian, disputed the findings in an internal letter to staff, stating the report is not a "fair characterization" of the museum's work. He asserted that the institution is driven by scholarship and accuracy. The American Historical Association supported the museum, arguing the executive branch is attempting to create a "narrowly sanitized version of the American past."

These developments follow a March 27, 2025, executive order by President Donald Trump titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which tasked Vice President J.D. Vance with removing "improper ideology" from federal cultural institutions. While the president requested a 12 percent cut to federal funding, Congress did not implement the reduction.

Democratic lawmakers and members of the Smithsonian Board of Regents have urged the institution to resist presidential pressure, citing its legal independence. Meanwhile, bipartisan efforts to construct new museums for women and Latinos have collapsed following proposed bans on exhibits about transgender women and attempts to shift site-selection power to the president.