Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, pushed back this week after a White House report sharply criticized the National Museum of American History. In a memo to staff sent Tuesday and obtained by NPR, Bunch rejected the report’s portrayal of the museum and reiterated the institution’s commitment to scholarship and public service.
The White House Domestic Policy Council published a 162-page review on July 4 titled “Saving America’s Story,” which asserts that the National Museum of American History has been “subject to institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology” and accuses the museum of underplaying the Founding Fathers and early American history, failing to sufficiently celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, and promoting what the report calls “anti-white,” “illegal alien” and transgender activism. The report also alleges the museum seeks to “indoctrinate” teachers and students through exhibitions, programming and educational resources, and singles out museum director Anthea Hartig as an “activist advancing an ideological agenda.”
In his message to Smithsonian employees, Bunch said the report does not fairly represent the museum’s work. He emphasized that the Smithsonian’s activities are guided by scholarship, accuracy and an “uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” He wrote that while there is always room for improvement, the institution is grounded in “a steadfast commitment to scholarship, nonpartisanship, independence, accuracy and integrity,” and stressed the Smithsonian’s long-standing mission “to pursue knowledge with rigor and to serve the American public with clarity and care.”
The review follows a broader campaign by the Trump administration to reshape cultural narratives at federal museums. In March 2025, the president issued an executive order calling for the removal of what he termed “improper ideology” from Smithsonian offerings; in August 2025 the White House requested a comprehensive internal review of eight Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of American History.
The Smithsonian’s charter establishes its museums, research centers and the National Zoo as institutions run independently of the federal government. The organization is overseen by Bunch and a board of regents that includes elected and appointed officials, among them the vice president and the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Bunch also discussed the Smithsonian’s 250th anniversary special exhibition at the Smithsonian Castle, “American Aspirations,” during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press. He said the exhibition aims to show that America is both a place and an idea—”a series of aspirations”—and called for honoring the founders’ words while using them to push the nation to improve.
The debate underscores tensions over how American history is presented in public institutions and the balance museums must strike between commemoration, interpretation and public education.
