Smithsonian chief rejects White House attack on American history museum

Lonnie Bunch III pushed back against a 162-page White House report released July 4 that accused the National Museum of American History of “extreme political activism” and of presenting a “radical view” of the nation’s past. In an internal memo to staff, Bunch said the report was “not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History.”

Bunch defended the Smithsonian’s curatorial approach as scholarship rather than ideology, saying the institution’s work is driven by “scholarship, accuracy, and a commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.” He also thanked staff for their dedication and said the Smithsonian remained committed to its mission for generations to come. In a separate statement, the Smithsonian said it remains committed to impartial learning and has served the public for more than 180 years through nonpartisan and independent scholarship.

The fight lands at the center of a larger struggle over who gets to define the nation’s story inside one of the country’s most visible cultural institutions. The White House report, titled Saving America’s Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage, criticized the museum for underemphasizing the Founding Fathers and Revolutionary history and singled out exhibits it labeled “anti-White,” “illegal alien,” and transgender activism. Smithsonian officials say the institution oversees 21 museums, galleries and the National Zoo, giving the dispute reach far beyond one building on the National Mall.

The National Museum of American History opened in January 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology and was renamed in 1980. Its galleries shape what millions of visitors encounter when they walk through Washington, making the battle over labels, exhibits and historical framing a battle over public memory itself.

The White House review followed President Donald Trump’s March 27, 2025 executive order, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, and an August 12, 2025 letter that ordered a comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Historians quickly moved to defend the institution: the Organization of American Historians rejected the report, and the American Historical Association said Smithsonian independence is essential to historical interpretation.