Is the federal government right to intervene in how the Smithsonian presents American history?

Current Events
1
Is the federal government right to intervene in how the Smithsonian presents American history?

pixlr-image-generator-6b854701-9598-4fbd-87c8-ff32c4f13454
pixlr-image-generator-6b854701-9598-4fbd-87c8-ff32c4f134541344×768 129 KB

The Smithsonian’s mission and public access are under scrutiny following a new executive order that targets “improper ideology.” Some see this as political interference; others view it as necessary oversight. Let’s talk about how museums should balance historical truth, representation, and accountability.

#Smithsonian #PublicFunding #AmericanHistory #MuseumEthics #DEI #GovernmentOversight #ChristianForums #CrosswalkForums #Forums #Crosswalk #FaithCommunity #FaithForums

President Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at removing what he calls “improper ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution, which receives about 62% of its funding from the federal government. The order requires exhibits and programs to align with what the administration describes as “shared American values,” while instructing agencies to review funding for displays seen as divisive or ideologically driven. In response, the Smithsonian has already shut down its Office of Diversity and begun adjusting internal policies.

Critics say this move could censor diverse historical perspectives, silence marginalized voices, and undermine the Smithsonian’s mission to provide free, inclusive access to knowledge. Supporters argue that government-funded institutions should avoid political or ideological agendas and stick to historically grounded facts.

With funding tied to compliance, the pressure is real. Should the government shape how history is presented in public museums? Is this executive order an overdue correction—or a dangerous overreach?

Read more about it here:

2

My immediate reaction is to ask, " what are shared American values?"
As an English person I have no idea what it meane.

I find the idea of government dictating what a museum displays disturbing, but I also find some of the ’ inclusive ’ history disturbing.
There are many elements of history that are not shown, usually because it goes against prejudice, 1940 famine in India, treatment of Japanese citizens in ww2 to name two.
If i was in the smithsonian I would find minority d3corated war heros, noble prize winners, successful businesses people and do small displays on them along side other more ’ regular ’ wasp stories,

3

Trump is being very specific. It’s a principle of conservatism to preserve, to conserve-- to restore-- and that means also-- remove the elements that have been inserted into what has become a revisionist history presented at the Smithsonian. In other words, Trump aims to remove those revisions that have attempted to alter American history and present it in a divisive way that harms education and changes the way we view ourselves as a result of a false narrative.

In recent years, these revisionists have rioted and removed iconic statues, changed names of streets and buildings, all in an attempt to erase certain parts of our shared history.

He correctly identifies a horrific example in the National Museum of African American History , where he accuses the Biden administration of advancing “corrosive ideology” at the museums, singling out certain entities like the National Museum of African American History and Culture that he said perpetuated “divisive” and “race-centered” ideas.

I went to the Smithsonian site in search of specifics. There are many. Here’s just one example…

The travel to inner cities (10 each year of this four year traveling exhibit) to educate people about bias and hatred by individuals and whole societies. What? Whole societies now hate entire groups of people and the answer is to become aware of it? Nonsense.

The Bias Inside Us—an exhibition and community engagement project from the Smithsonian—is an exploration of the social science, psychology, and consequences of implicit bias. Bias is an innate human trait; we all have it. Being aware of our bias can help us recognize their influence and impact on our behaviors and worldview. The Bias Inside Us offers an opportunity to learn how to challenge bias in the world through awareness of one’s own bias.

The four-year project, developed with a national advisory council and Smithsonian experts, is a community engagement effort that considers the connections between implicit bias and group dynamics, how they can lead to explicit acts of bias and hatred by individuals and whole societies, and what we as individuals can do about it.

How about a Kwanza exhibit? Deeply rooted in history.

Except Kwanza was invented by the leader of the Black Power movement at colleges in the 60’s.

Kwanzaa is deeply rooted in the history, culture and solidarity of the African diaspora. During a series of activities, visitors can explore ways to celebrate Kwanzaa for the first time, while others may find ways to refresh their existing practice of celebrating the holiday.

4

My immediate reaction is to ask, " what are shared American values?"
As an English person I have no idea what it meane.

If you don’t understand what shared American values are, as an English person-- what compels you to comment here?

An English person perhaps doesn’t understand the ideas of American Exceptionalism, self-realization, Independence, Freedom from tyranny, government for and by the people, peace through strength, freedom of speech and religion, equal rights, and individual opportunity-- the protection and pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.

But God save the King.

5

One critic has stated, and I am paraphrasing a bit, the following:

The museum receives 62% of its funding from the government and has never charged admission—because it believed everyone should have access (uh oh… DEI alert).

Now, with the current administration attempting to erase key parts of our history—like removing African American military heroes, women, and others from Smithsonian websites—they’re effectively pushing the institution toward shutdown.

That leaves two options: either the Smithsonian starts charging admission for the first time in over 100 years (which would be exclusionary), or private support must significantly increase.

6

Also, some other information on stories being removed:

image
image640×501 79.4 KB

Summary of the link below:
The Trump administration, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has initiated a purge of content related to women and minority veterans from Department of Defense websites, claiming to refocus on “merit.” This includes the deletion of historical material about the all-Black, all-female WWII battalion known as the “Six Triple Eight,” which was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal. Critics call the purge an unprecedented act of censorship and historical erasure driven by political motives and prejudice.

7

Trump Signs Executive Order to “Restore Truth and Sanity” to American History

President Donald J. Trump signed a new executive order on March 27, 2025, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” According to the administration, the goal is to reverse recent efforts to revise or erase parts of American heritage.

Here are a few key takeaways:

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Smithsonian Overhaul – Vice President JD Vance, who sits on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, has been tasked with eliminating “divisive” and “anti-American” content from museum exhibits. The upcoming American Women’s History Museum is also barred from recognizing transgender women.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Monument & Park Restoration – The Department of the Interior is instructed to restore any monuments, statues, and historical markers that were removed or changed over the last five years due to political pressure.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: Independence Hall Restoration – As the country approaches its 250th birthday in 2026, Independence Hall in Philadelphia must be fully restored and ready to host Semiquincentennial celebrations on July 4.

The Trump team frames this as a necessary move to protect national identity. Critics argue it may suppress historically marginalized voices and present a one-sided version of the past.

What do you think? Is this a step toward national unity—or selective storytelling?

:page_facing_up: Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-signs-order-aiming-eliminate-anti-american-ideology-smithsonian-2025-03-27/

White House Fact Sheet:

8

What was formerly America would have never restructured history books or museums to fit a narrative. That is truly federal over reach. It is forcing one idea over a whole people, telling them they aren’t smart enough to figure out the truth. “You will listen to me and obey me, I know what the truth is. So don’t question me.”

America wont be here much longer so it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Checks and balances, corrupted

Law and order, corrupted

Institutions that keep the American people safe, gutted.

And All the control has been handed to an executive branch that misuses it

And in case you haven’t noticed, this is a house cleaning. Whoever buys what was formerly America will call it what they will.

But all of this was destined to happen. So what we say here does not matter.

The fall of America is happening.
As God has dictated.
This would not have happened unless God had allowed it.

And then winter will come.

The nation will be split up into much smaller regions. As people struggle against starvation and the brutal cold when the power outages occur.

When the power is localized to these smaller regions, it will be easier for those in charge to make rapid life or death decisions as things go from bad to worse quickly.

We will have to take steps backward in order to move forward. Building underground cities, reverting to steam power to heat them. Mining for coal. Growing food for extremely shortened periods and storing it to last a year, rationing through the rest of the year.

The world will lose its economic ability as corporations will no longer be able to produce goods, and people wont be able to sell them. Or buy them.

So life will need to be reshaped to fit a different model known. But that is for a younger or newer generation to decide. Those who survive the great rapid changes to occur. They will carry the torch when everything falls. And hopefully learn from the sins of their fathers.

9

Doom and gloom. Turn that frown upside down little Missy.

Hilarious. Another editorial full of allegations, but lacking any evidence. Did you take five minutes to even educate yourself on the directive?

The problem didn’t arise three months ago when America elected Donald Trump.

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 diminishing American achievement. President Trump is fighting back by reestablishing truth in the historical narrative and restoring Federal sites dedicated to American heritage.

We are supposed to clutch pearls and agree with you that the fall of America is happening because we now have a President who has tasked his VP with the following:

    • The Order directs the Vice President, who is a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, to work to eliminate improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology from the Smithsonian and its museums, education and research centers, and the National Zoo.
    • The Order directs the Administration to work with Congress to ensure that future Smithsonian appropriations: (1) prohibit funding for exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans by race, or promote ideologies inconsistent with Federal law; and (2) celebrate women’s achievements in the American Women’s History Museum and do not recognize men as women.
    • The Vice President will work with congressional leaders to appoint members to the Smithsonian Board of Regents who are committed to advancing the celebration of America’s extraordinary heritage and progress.
  • The Order also directs the Secretary of the Interior restore Federal parks, monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties that have been improperly removed or changed in the last five years to perpetuate a false revision of history or improperly minimize or disparage certain historical figures or events.
  • In preparation for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, the Order directs the Secretary of the Interior to complete restorations and improvements to Independence Hall by that date.
1 Like
10

Did someone say something? I thought I heard someone say something remotely relevent to what I said that didn’t excuse current behavior with accusations about the past attempts to present more than just a whitewaahed idealized image of the past?

Regardless, I am not resisting. I have accepted the truth of where we are. But I am not pretending it is something that it is not.

11

I am reposting what I wrote earlier in response to another topic…

The US Constitution guarantees freedom of speech. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The Smithsonian should be free to exhibit whatever the board of directors believes is relevant. As much as he would like, Trump can’t suppress the truth and/or rewrite history. Every dictator, e.g., Putin, does this. Why should the US imitate Russia?

Obviously, Trump has zero regard for what the Constitution plainly states.

12

Hi,
There has to be rules for an item to be allowed in the Smithsonian.
How about the people that allow items to be displayed just follow the rules?

Blessings

13

I ask because there has been a large trend in the west, in America, the UK and Europe away from Christian values.
These values have under written the wests culture.

So if gay pride occurs in your area, if black lives matters or similar occur in your area, just what is your areas view of standard Amefican values?

14

There has been a steady erosion of “American values” for decades, but beyond this there has been a radical acceleration taking place since Obama’s promise to “transform America.” He was largely successful and America truly dodged a fatal bullet when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton’s bid for the Whitehouse in 2016. It was a path that America would never have recovered from. The proverbial slipperly slope from which there would have been no return.

Then came Trump in 2016, America’s last hope for a needed reversal of course. With great promise and a great start-- his ambitions to reclaim America (and make it great again) were thwarted by the manufactured pandemic crisis, and subsequent lawfare tactics based on lies of Russian collusion and rulings of activist judges. A stolen election subjected America to four years of a dementia riddled Presidency where handlers signed executive orders and pardons using an autopen while Joe Biden slept on the beach and ate ice cream. Our borders were left wide open and the liberal policy makers inserted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into every governmental institution and corporate America alike. Annual deficits assured a coming financial ruin-- bankruptcy of America, and societal collapse.

But the American people have had enough. Trump was trouncing Biden in election polling leading up to 2024 to such a degree that Democrats themselves declared their own leader mentally incompetent and they replaced him with Kamala Harris-- a candidate who couldn’t even garner 3% support in the Presidential Primaries forcing her to drop out.

But damage had been done. Four years of activism under Biden was like pouring gasoline on that “large trend” away from those Christian/American/Western values you reference.

So now- we have one last opportunity to right the ship. Trump is reversing most of Biden’s executive orders. He’s reforming American institutions, ridding them of DEI nonsense and with the help of DOGE he’s eliminating corruption, waste and fraud. He’s secured our border to protect us from illegal immigration and he unapologetically supports law enforcement. If he can correct course and suspend out of control judiciary activism, he will have us back on the right track.