White House orders Smithsonian content review to align museums with Trump’s vision

Published August 13, 2025 12:47am ET



The White House will vet Smithsonian content ahead of the United States’s 250th birthday, ensuring its exhibits align with the administration’s historical vision.

White House senior associate Lindsey Halligan, Domestic Policy Council head Vince Haley, and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought sent a letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the Wall Street Journal reported. They wanted the institution to show “unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story.” The initiative is part of President Donald Trump’s March 27 executive order, ‘Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”

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