Trump Orders Warning Signs at National Museum of American History

The United States Department of the Interior plans to install 12 temporary warning signs outside the National Museum of American History at an estimated cost of $84,000. The initiative follows executive orders issued by President Donald Trump in March and July 2025, including one titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which claims a revisionist movement is undermining American achievements.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum informed U.S. Senators that the signs, to be placed on National Park Service land, are necessary for public transparency. Burgum stated the signage will warn visitors that curators use exhibits to advance personal, radical ideologies regarding non-binary sex, gender identity, and undocumented immigrants. The administration also criticized outgoing Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III for alleged anti-white animus and has demanded curatorial changes, including the installation of a 30-foot George Washington statue.

Museum Director Anthea M. Hartig defended the institution, arguing that reframing historical narratives adds missing voices rather than erasing traditional ones. Senator Jeff Merkley condemned the move as a pressure campaign intended to undermine the independence of the Smithsonian Institution. The administration maintains that the public should be equipped with information to evaluate whether to invest time in these exhibits.