Smithsonian chief pushes back on White House attack on history museum
What's new: The dispute centers on a 162-page July 4 report that accused the National Museum of American History of anti-American bias.
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch defended the National Museum of American History after a White House report accused the museum of “thinly veiled anti-Americanism” and “extreme political activism.” In a memo to staff, Bunch wrote that the 162-page report was not a fair portrayal of the museum’s work and said the institution remains committed to scholarship, nonpartisanship, independence, accuracy and integrity. The July 4 report from the White House Domestic Policy Council is part of President Donald Trump’s broader push to reshape how federal cultural institutions present US history. The Smithsonian, which includes 21 museums and the National Zoo, has been under White House review since 2025.