Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restores Trust in the Smithsonian Institution
The White House
July 24, 2026
RESTORING TRUST IN THE SMITHSONIAN: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to reestablish confidence in the Smithsonian Institution. As illustrated by the Domestic Policy Council’s report, Saving America’s Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage (Report), the Smithsonian is failing to tell America’s story with honesty, seriousness, and pride.
The Order directs the Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of General Services, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to restore trust in the Smithsonian Institution by utilizing all available authorities to encourage it to correct the issues found in the Report and to comply with existing laws, funding requirements, and contract conditions.
The Order directs the Secretary of the Interior to install temporary signage near the Museum, informing visitors of the findings of the Report and directing visitors to accurate information regarding America’s history.
The Order directs the Secretary of the Interior to install temporary exhibits or signage for the public that corrects inaccurate information presented in the National Museum of American History to ensure America’s Founders are honored during its 250 th year.
SAVING AMERICA’S STORY FROM CORROSIVE IDEOLOGY: In the last decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted effort to rewrite American history and force our Nation to adopt a factually baseless ideology aimed at discrediting American heroes and diminishing American achievement.
The Domestic Policy Council’s Report conclusively shows that Smithsonian and Museum leadership have directed the Museum’s mission away from historical education and scholarship of a shared national inheritance to be celebrated, and toward extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism, to divide, dispirit, and discourage Americans.
The Report demonstrates that the Smithsonian cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and is therefore not properly stewarding the over $1 billion entrusted to it by the American taxpayer each year.
President Trump is fighting back to restore one of the Nation’s greatest civic treasures to its founding mission and purpose and reestablish truth in the Nation’s historical narrative.
CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE: President Trump is committed to ensuring that American history is celebrated accurately, fairly, and with pride—honoring the remarkable progress, liberty, and ingenuity that define our great Nation.
On his first day in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a task force to prepare for America’s 250 th birthday, inspire a renewed love for American history, encourage citizens to experience the beauty of our country, ignite a spirit of innovation to help our nation succeed for the next 250 years, and invite Americans to pray for our country. The task force launched numerous once-in-a-generation events for all Americans to celebrate their Nation’s 250 th birthday such as Rededicate 250, The Great American State Fair, Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library Opening, International Naval Review & Sail 4 th , Salute to America, and the Patriot Games Competition.
This Order also protected America’s monuments from vandalism and called for the construction of the National Garden of American Heroes.
In March 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to restore truth and sanity to American history by revitalizing key cultural institutions and reversing the spread of divisive ideology.
In March 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to make Washington, D.C. what it should be—the pride of every American to whom it belongs and established the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force to restore and beautify monuments, statues, memorials, and parks.
To celebrate America’s 250 th anniversary, the task force installed a series of statues at Freedom Plaza, honoring the heroes and martyrs of the American Revolution.
In August 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order to restore respect, pride, and sanctity to the American flag and prosecute those who desecrate this symbol of our freedom, identity, and strength to the fullest extent of the law.
