Trump orders warning signs at Smithsonian over alleged bias

President Donald Trump has ordered warning signs to be placed outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, directing the Department of the Interior to post cautions and guide visitors to what the administration deems “accurate information regarding America’s history,” the White House said on Friday.

The executive order, titled Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution, accuses museum leadership of failing to sufficiently celebrate the nation’s founders during the 250th anniversary of independence and asserts that the museum “views American history as a ‘prime tool’ to advance ideas of social justice and the radical transformation of our society.”

An accompanying White House statement said the Smithsonian had veered “toward extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism, to divide, dispirit, and discourage Americans.” The order instructs the Interior Department to issue warnings and indicate alternative sources the administration considers accurate.

The executive action follows congressional hearings this week in which Smithsonian director Anthea Hartig was questioned by Republican lawmakers who accused the institution of adopting a “woke ideology” in exhibits, materials and planning documents. Earlier in the month, the White House Domestic Policy Council released a report claiming the museum “erases our heritage.”

The Friday order does not specify which sources the White House believes should replace or supplement the museum’s accounts. The Smithsonian, which receives substantial federal funding and runs 21 museums including the National Museum of American History, did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The executive order directs warning signs at the Smithsonian and tasks the Department of the Interior with directing visitors to sources the administration considers accurate. It frames the museum’s leadership as favoring social justice perspectives and cites recent congressional scrutiny of the Smithsonian director. The order lacks specification of alternative sources and follows a prior March directive to eliminate “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology.”

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• President Trump ordered warning signs at the National Museum of American History and directed the Interior Department to post them.
• The executive order accuses the Smithsonian of promoting social justice and political activism and coincides with congressional hearings of the museum director.
• The order does not identify which alternative sources the White House deems “accurate,” and the Smithsonian had no immediate comment.