A White House report has criticized the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution, particularly at the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly.
Report Details
The report, released by the White House Domestic Policy Council, claims that the institution has become too liberal and has moved away from its mission of historical education and scholarship. The report states that the museum’s current leadership and ideology are fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of America.
Historian Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian’s current secretary, is the first African American to lead the institution. In an unrelated interview, Bunch emphasized the importance of understanding America’s history and making its aspirations accessible to all people.
President Donald Trump has been actively working to overhaul cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian, and has imposed changes on historical sites beyond Washington. The administration has also forced Columbia University to make policy changes by threatening to withdraw federal funding.
The report’s findings have sparked concerns among advocates, academics, and officials, who fear that the version of history presented by the Trump administration could downplay the nation’s painful past in favor of a more triumphant view.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.
