Trump Targets "Divisive Ideology" at Smithsonian Museums with Executive Order

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order aimed at removing what he terms "corrosive" anti-American ideology from the Smithsonian Institution. The order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," places Vice President JD Vance in charge of overseeing changes intended to restore the Smithsonian as a symbol of American greatness. The order specifically targets exhibits at the American Art Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, accusing them of promoting narratives that portray American values as harmful. Trump's administration aims to prohibit the Smithsonian from hosting or funding exhibits that "degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy." The move also impacts the Women's History Museum, which is under development, by banning exhibits that celebrate trans women. Furthermore, the order suggests a potential return of Confederate monuments and symbols removed since 2020, calling for the restoration of federal historical sites.