Trump demands Smithsonian documents ahead of 250th anniversary

WASHINGTON – The White House is raising the pressure on the Smithsonian Institution to turn over extensive internal records as part of a broader effort to assert control over how US history is presented – and threatening to withhold congressionally authorised funding if it doesn’t comply by Jan 13.

“We wish to be assured that none of the leadership of the Smithsonian museums is confused about the fact that the United States has been among the greatest forces for good in the history of the world,” according to a Dec 18 letter to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch.

“The American people will have no patience for any museum that is diffident about America’s founding or otherwise uncomfortable conveying a positive view of American history.”

The missive – from Domestic Policy Council director Vince Haley and budget director Russell Vought – accused the congressionally chartered institution of slow-walking requests for information as the nation’s 250th anniversary approaches in 2026.

President Donald Trump has signalled an intent to use the semi quincentennial to rally a sense of patriotism and define a version of the country’s history that comports with his “America First” politics. 

The White House wants to know how the Smithsonian is preparing for that commemoration.

The institution’s museums are among the premier custodians of the nation’s cultural heritage, and include the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian.

The latest demands escalate a fight that began in March, when Mr Trump signed an executive order accusing the institution of operating “under the influence of a divisive, race-centred ideology.”

The order purported to prohibit “exhibits or programmes that degrade shared American values.”

The White House memo says the Smithsonian gave only cursory information about its programmes and failed to provide projected schedules or budgets for future exhibitions planned between 2026 and 2029.

The letter explicitly threatens to use apportionment – the power of the Office of Management and Budget to withhold funding – to force compliance.

The showdown could be a key test of Mr Trump’s ability to use executive tools to enforce his policies on quasi-independent agencies.

The Smithsonian, founded by Congress in 1846 from a bequest by British scientist James Smithson, is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes members of Congress and the chief justice of the Supreme Court. 

The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BLOOMBERG