The Trump administration informed the Smithsonian Institution on Tuesday that it will check its current and planned exhibitions' displayed wording, websites, and social media "to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals." A letter from the White House said the museums will have 120 days to make any changes the administration wants, the New York Times reports. The changes could include "replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions," the letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch says.
The letter provides the first details of the administration's plan to scrutinize the Smithsonian, per the Washington Post, to ensure adherence to Trump's goals of removing what he called its "improper ideology" in favor of "truth and sanity." The Smithsonian released a statement later Tuesday pledging cooperation with the administration and saying its work "is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history."
A historian called the Trump administration plan an affront to the professionals trained to ensure historically accurate presentations, per the Wall Street Journal. "If those things are taken out of the hands of historians, the public stands to lose a great deal in having reliable and engaging content that tells a whole and complex story of the American past," said Sarah Weicksel, executive director of the American Historical Association.
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