Overview

• President Trump’s executive order, 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' accuses the Smithsonian Institution of promoting 'divisive, race-centered ideology.'
• The National Museum of African American History and CultureSmithsonian American Women’s History Museum are specifically targeted in the order.
• Vice President J.D. Vance is tasked with overseeing museum content and restricting funding for programs deemed to promote 'improper ideology.'
• Critics argue the order is part of a broader strategy to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives while erasing marginalized voices from historical narratives.
• Historians, civil rights advocates, and Black leaders warn of the potential erasure of critical historical perspectives and compare the move to authoritarian attempts to rewrite history.