Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III announced an internal review of the museum network's programming in response to an executive order from the Trump administration calling for a review of its content. In a letter to staff, Bunch stated the institution would conduct its own review to ensure programming is nonpartisan and factual, while asserting the Smithsonian's independence from the White House. This follows a March executive order claiming the Smithsonian had adopted a divisive, race-centered ideology, and earlier pressure to end DEI initiatives, which the Smithsonian had already closed in January. Bunch had lunch with President Trump after the White House released a list of artworks it denounced, and the administration previously claimed to have fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet over DEI support, though she later resigned.
This matters because the Smithsonian, though receiving about two-thirds of its $1 billion annual budget from the federal government, is legally an independent trust overseen by a Board of Regents, not a federal entity. The internal review represents a delicate balancing act between complying with White House demands and preserving institutional autonomy. The outcome could set a precedent for how federally funded cultural institutions navigate political pressure, particularly around contentious issues of race, diversity, and historical interpretation. The situation also highlights ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and cultural organizations over programming perceived as politically charged.