Trump Orders Warning Signs Outside National Museum of American History

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on July 24, 2026, directing the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service to install temporary warning signs and exhibits on public walkways surrounding the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. The signs are intended to alert visitors to ideological capture and inaccurate information within the museum, directing them instead toward government-approved resources. The order also mandates the creation of temporary exhibits honoring the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

This action follows a July 4 report by the White House Domestic Policy Council titled Saving America's Story, which accused the museum of using history as a tool for social justice and extreme political activism rooted in Marxism. Because the Smithsonian Institution operates as an independent federal trust, the president cannot unilaterally alter exhibits or remove leadership, leading the administration to target the surrounding sidewalks maintained by the National Park Service.

Anthea M. Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, rejected the findings during congressional testimony, stating the report does not accurately characterize the museum's work, though she admitted there is room for improvement. While Representative Brandon Gill supported the move and called for Hartig's removal, Ranking Member Melanie Stansbury condemned the order as political overreach. The move is part of a broader administration effort to influence cultural institutions, following previous actions at the Kennedy Center and the National Portrait Gallery.