Chicago – March 28, 2025
Former President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Thursday instructing Vice President JD Vance to remove what he called “divisive race-centered ideology” from the Smithsonian’s museums, research centers, and the National Zoo.
The order, titled Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, claims that the Smithsonian, once a symbol of American excellence, has shifted toward narratives that depict American and Western values as oppressive. It argues that museums in the nation’s capital should educate visitors rather than promote ideological viewpoints or divisive interpretations of history.
Trump’s directive tasks Vance, along with presidential aides Vince Haley and Lindsey Halligan, with working alongside Congress to block Smithsonian funding for exhibits and programs that, according to the order, undermine American values, promote racial division, or conflict with federal law. Additionally, it calls for ensuring that the American Women’s History Museum highlights women’s achievements while excluding recognition of men as women in any form.
