Trump orders Smithsonian to post warnings about 'inaccurate' US history

What the report says

BBC World News reported that President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing warning signs to be placed outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, telling visitors that some exhibits are considered “inaccurate” by his administration. The order assigns the Department of the Interior to issue the notices and point visitors toward what the administration describes as accurate information about U.S. history.

The Friday order, titled “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution,” accuses Smithsonian leaders of failing to sufficiently honor the country’s founders around the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on 4 July. According to the BBC, the White House also alleged that the museum had moved toward political activism and said its approach to history was shaped by social justice aims. The BBC said the Smithsonian had not immediately responded to a request for comment.

Democratic lawmakers criticized the move. Representative Melanie Stansbury, the ranking Democrat on the House Administration Committee, called the executive order political overreach and said the Smithsonian and U.S. history belong to the public rather than the president. The action followed congressional hearings in which Smithsonian director Anthea Hartig faced Republican criticism over what lawmakers described as “woke” ideology in displays and educational materials.

The dispute is part of a broader Trump administration campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion programs and what it labels anti-American or left-wing influence in cultural institutions. The Smithsonian, largely federally funded, runs 21 museums and sites in Washington, Virginia and New York, including the National Museum of American History, the National Portrait Gallery, the American Art Museum and the National Zoo.