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August 12, 2025executive orderEducation PolicyCivil RightsFirst AmendmentCultural Heritagecivil libertieseducationexecutive power

Trump Orders Smithsonian to Align Exhibits With His Political Views

Following the exhibit review directive, Trump signed an executive order requiring the Smithsonian Institution to align its programming and public-facing content with the administration's historical and cultural viewpoints. The order gave the White House authority to approve or reject exhibit content at federally funded museums. Historians and museum professionals called it an unprecedented attempt to weaponize national cultural institutions for political propaganda.