Trump administration threatens to cut Smithsonian ties over museum content

The Trump administration has threatened to stop federal agencies from working with the Smithsonian Institution unless its leadership changes, escalating a pressure campaign over museum content. The move targets the world’s largest museum complex. An August 28 letter to the Smithsonian’s governing board cited a White House report accusing the institution of promoting “extreme political activism” at the National Museum of American History. Officials said agencies may cease artifact loans, procurement support, and discretionary grants, citing alleged violations of federal antidiscrimination law without providing examples. The Smithsonian, which receives two-thirds of its budget from the federal government, has defended its independence. Museum director Andrea Hartig rejected the report’s claims, while the institution’s head Lonnie Bunch said history should be driven by scholarship, not partisanship. Board appointments could shift before November midterms.