In the latest escalation of its campaign against the Smithsonian, President Donald Trump's administration has threatened to cut federal agency support for the landmark cultural institution. In a letter sent to the Smithsonian's governing board, U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and White House Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley wrote that government agencies "cannot in good conscience continue to support the Smithsonian under current leadership by, for example, loaning artifacts for exhibits, enabling procurement processes and making discretionary grants." Dated Friday, the correspondence alleged that the institution may have breached anti-discrimination laws because of its diversity practices.
The letter, first reported by The Atlantic, requested that Smithsonian leadership convene a meeting with administration officials to address the government's criticisms. The Trump administration has earlier threatened to eliminate federal funding for the complex, with Trump voicing dissatisfaction regarding what he characterized as an excessive focus on how bad slavery was. As a premier showcase of U.S. history and culture, the Smithsonian operates an expansive museum and research complex that includes 21 museums and galleries, along with the National Zoo.
The organization made no immediate comment regarding the letter. Trump has further directed that signs be placed outside the institution's National Museum of American History to display his administration's criticisms of the facility. Additionally, his administration initiated an official review into several museums last year.
Addressing a White House report that alleged the National Museum of American History engaged in "thinly veiled anti-Americanism" and "extreme political activism", Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch stated that such claims represented an unfair characterization of the museum's work. Historians and civil rights advocates have sharply criticized Trump's actions toward the institution, warning that these measures risk eroding the acknowledgment of critical phases of U.S. history while reversing social progress. Trump has executed a broader crackdown on diversity initiatives across both the private sector and government entities, alleging that such policies result in discrimination against white people and men.
Civil rights advocates have condemned the crackdown, arguing that diversity initiatives are essential to addressing historic inequities affecting groups such as ethnic minorities, women, and the LGBT community. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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