White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view

Soldiers relax near Smithsonian museums during Army's 250th anniversary commemoration

The institution is 'facing pressure to give ground' because 62% of its budget comes from federal funding

(Image credit: Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

What happened

The White House Tuesday told the Smithsonian Institution it was launching a "comprehensive" review of its 21 museums to ensure their content and operations align with President Donald Trump's interpretation of American history.

Who said what

The White House's scrutiny of America's "premier museum system" is part of Trump's "aggressive culture war campaign" against "leading American institutions," USA Today said. It's unclear whether Trump has the "legal power" to "impose his will on the Smithsonian, which has traditionally operated as an independent institution that regards itself outside the purview of the executive branch," The New York Times said. But the institution's board is "facing pressure to give ground," given that 62% of its budget comes from federal funding.

The Smithsonian's exhibits "shouldn't simply reflect any one administration's preferences," Annette Gordon-Reed, a Harvard professor and president of the Organization of American Historians, told the Times. "They are the product of a lot of hard work by dedicated and honorable people who want to present the most accurate picture of American history as possible. That includes the triumphs and the tragedies."

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What next?

The Smithsonian said it "will continue to collaborate constructively" with the federal government and was "reviewing" the White House letter while bearing in mind its own "deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.