The Smithsonian Institution faces a deadline to submit internal communications and exhibition materials to the White House as part of President Donald Trump's review aimed at eliminating so-called 'woke' ideology. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III has begun turning over documents from several galleries on a rolling basis, and the National Portrait Gallery has already complied by replacing Trump's portrait with a new photograph and removing mentions of his two impeachment trials from the wall text. The review, launched in August 2025, targets eight museums including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Hirshhorn Museum, following an April executive order titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.'
This matters because the Smithsonian receives 62 percent of its annual budget from federal funding, giving the White House significant leverage to enforce a particular version of American history that minimizes slavery, racism, and discrimination. Although Congress has not enacted Trump's proposed $131.2 million budget cut, the Office of Management and Budget could still withhold funds if the president remains displeased. The outcome sets a precedent for how federal cultural institutions navigate political pressure and could reshape the narrative of American history presented to millions of visitors annually.