White House Accuses Smithsonian of Radical Ideological Capture

The White House Domestic Policy Council released a 162-page report on July 4, 2026, titled "Saving America's Story," which accuses the Smithsonian Institution and specifically the National Museum of American History of "extreme political activism." The report alleges the museum has undergone "institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology," claiming it treats patriotic narratives with contempt, minimizes the Founding Fathers, and promotes "anti-White," "illegal alien," and transgender activism.

This action follows a March 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which tasked Vice President JD Vance with removing "improper ideology" from federal cultural institutions. The administration has already implemented changes at other sites, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and George Washington's home in Philadelphia. The report suggests the administration may appoint its own team to oversee these institutions to combat what it describes as anti-American propaganda.

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III rejected the findings in a memo to staff, stating the report is "not a fair characterization" and asserting that the institution's work is driven by scholarship and nonpartisanship. Professional groups, including the Organization of American Historians and the American Historical Association, condemned the report as executive branch overreach and an attempt to create a "sanitized version of the American past."