In a move reflecting a broader cultural agenda, President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at cleansing the Smithsonian Institution of what he defines as divisive ideologies, while calling for the restoration of historical monuments.
Trump Aims to Reshape American Culture with New Smithsonian Executive Order
Trump Aims to Reshape American Culture with New Smithsonian Executive Order
The recent executive order from President Trump seeks to eliminate perceived "anti-American ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution and its museums.
In a bold stroke to influence American cultural narratives, President Donald Trump has executed an order targeting the renowned Smithsonian Institution, which boasts over 20 museums and research centers that draw millions of visitors to Washington D.C. and New York City each year. Through this directive, Trump is instructing the vice president to "eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" found within the museums, centers, and the National Zoo in Washington. Highlights of the order direct the interior secretary to restore federal properties—parks, memorials, and statues—that have purportedly undergone "improper removal or changes" in recent years, propelling a narrative of a distorted historical account.
Titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," the order aims to reshape not just political discourse but the cultural fabric of the nation. Vice-President JD Vance, now a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, will spearhead this initiative. The directive expresses that Congress should refrain from financing Smithsonian exhibits and programs it views as fostering division based on race. It criticizes the upcoming American Women's History Museum for its intentions to "recognize men as women" and targets the National Museum of African American History and Culture for labeling concepts like "hard work" and "individualism" as markers of "White culture."
The Smithsonian, which attracts between 15 to 30 million visitors annually, operates 21 institutions in Washington, Virginia, and New York. These include notable locations like the National Museum of American History, the National Portrait Gallery, and the National Zoo. Additionally, the executive order also tasks Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum with overseeing renovations to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, coinciding with the forthcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
This endeavor is part of Trump's broader campaign against what he deems as "woke" leftist ideology, having previously taken steps to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in federal institutions. In earlier attempts to reshape the cultural landscape, Trump controversially replaced the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts with himself as chairman, provoking backlash from the arts community and prompting event cancellations.
Titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," the order aims to reshape not just political discourse but the cultural fabric of the nation. Vice-President JD Vance, now a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, will spearhead this initiative. The directive expresses that Congress should refrain from financing Smithsonian exhibits and programs it views as fostering division based on race. It criticizes the upcoming American Women's History Museum for its intentions to "recognize men as women" and targets the National Museum of African American History and Culture for labeling concepts like "hard work" and "individualism" as markers of "White culture."
The Smithsonian, which attracts between 15 to 30 million visitors annually, operates 21 institutions in Washington, Virginia, and New York. These include notable locations like the National Museum of American History, the National Portrait Gallery, and the National Zoo. Additionally, the executive order also tasks Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum with overseeing renovations to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, coinciding with the forthcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
This endeavor is part of Trump's broader campaign against what he deems as "woke" leftist ideology, having previously taken steps to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in federal institutions. In earlier attempts to reshape the cultural landscape, Trump controversially replaced the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts with himself as chairman, provoking backlash from the arts community and prompting event cancellations.
