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The White House is stepping up pressure on the Smithsonian, demanding extensive internal records and warning that congressionally authorized funding could be withheld if the museum system does not meet a mid-January deadline, according to a Smithsonian report. Bloomberg report.
In a letter sent Thursday to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said the administration wants assurances that Smithsonian leadership is prepared to present American history in a positive light as the country approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026.
“We want to make sure that no Smithsonian museum leaders are confused about the fact that the United States has been among the greatest forces for good in the history of the world,” the letter said, according to Bloomberg.
“The American people will not have patience with any museum that does not trust America’s founding or does not feel comfortable conveying a positive view of American history.”
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President Donald Trump has ordered a review of the Smithsonian’s content, ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. (Getty)
The White House set a Jan. 13 deadline for the Smithsonian Institution to turn over the requested records, the report said, warning that the administration could use the Office of Management and Budget’s appropriations authority to delay or withhold federal funding if the institution fails to comply.
This represents an escalation of a dispute that began earlier this year, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order accusing the Smithsonian of operating “under the influence of a divisive, race-based ideology” and directing the institution to remove exhibits or programs that “disparage shared American values.”
The White House letter, according to Bloomberg, accused the Smithsonian of dragging its feet on previous information requests and providing only cursory details about its programs, especially regarding future exhibitions planned between 2026 and 2029.
The administration said it wants detailed schedules and budgets as part of its review.
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The comprehensive review first includes eight museums, most of which are affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. (Photo by Kevin Deitch/Getty Images)
The Smithsonian Institution oversees some of the country’s most prominent museums, including 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.
Founded by Congress in 1846, the Smithsonian is governed by a Board of Trustees that includes members of Congress and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
The funding warning is based on previous criticism from the Trump administration of the content of the Smithsonian exhibit. In an exclusive on Fox News Digital on July 5, White House official Lindsey Halligan accused the Smithsonian Institution of using taxpayer dollars to promote “one-sided and divisive political narratives,” specifically referring to content in the National Museum of American History’s “Entertainment Nation” exhibit.
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The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
“American taxpayers should not be funding institutions that undermine our country or promote one-sided and divisive political narratives,” Halligan told Fox News Digital at the time. She said the exhibits should present history “in an accurate, balanced way, and consistent with the values that make the United States of America exceptional.”
The Smithsonian Institution subsequently said it was “committed to continued and rigorous scholarship” and was reviewing the exhibition’s content to ensure it meets institutional standards.
The latest letter positions the records request as part of the administration’s preparations for the bicentennial, which Trump has indicated he wants to use to emphasize patriotism and a unified national narrative, Bloomberg reported.
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The Smithsonian receives nearly two-thirds of its annual budget from federal appropriations, according to previous reporting by Fox News Digital.
The White House and Smithsonian did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.