The Smithsonian Institution has agreed to turn over internal materials related to its programming and operations to the White House, following an executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at purging what he calls “anti-American ideology” from the consortium of museums and archives. Private emails from Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch II, obtained by The New York Times, reveal that the Smithsonian will provide digital photographs of labels, placards, and other text on public display, as well as other materials, on a rolling basis to avoid losing federal funding, which makes up nearly two-thirds of its roughly $1 billion annual budget.
This development matters because it marks a significant concession by one of the nation’s most prestigious cultural institutions to political pressure from the executive branch, raising concerns about the independence of museums and the potential for government censorship of historical narratives. The executive order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” specifically criticized exhibitions and language at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, signaling a broader effort to reshape how American history is presented in federally funded institutions. The case underscores the vulnerability of even non-federal agencies to political influence when they rely heavily on government funding.