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‘The museum does not take sides’: Smithsonian official defends institution amid Trump criticism

Published July 22, 2026 · Updated July 22, 2026 · By Lisa Smith - tyunews.com

Foto : Lisa Smith - tyunews.com

The museum does not take sides: nds Museum's Neutrality Tyunews.com – Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

Smithsonian Official Defends Museum's Neutrality

Tyunews.com – Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, addressed lawmakers on Tuesday to respond to growing White House criticism. In her opening statement, she reaffirmed that the museum does not take sides in political matters. Hartig emphasized that the institution's work follows established scholarly standards and maintains political neutrality.

"Our work is governed by the Smithsonian standards of scholarship, accuracy, independence, and nonpartisanship," Hartig stated. "The museum does not take sides in America's political debates. We preserve and document the evidence of American life in all of its breadth, so that the public can encounter the past and draw their own conclusions."

The hearing was organized by the House Subcommittee on Delivering Government Efficiency under the title "Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian's Efforts to Reshape the Past." A committee spokesperson confirmed to ABC News that Hartig would also testify before the Committee on House Administration on Wednesday for a related session.

White House Report Sparks Debate

Hartig's congressional appearance came after a critical report from the White House Domestic Policy Council on July 4. That document accused the MNAH and its leadership of pursuing "extreme political activism" while promoting "a radical view of American history." On Tuesday, Hartig responded directly to these allegations.

"The Smithsonian takes the concerns raised in the White House Domestic Policy Council's report seriously, and as we continue to fact-check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum," Hartig explained. "There is always room for improvement, but I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming."

A Smithsonian representative told ABC News on July 5 that the institution continues to uphold its commitment to impartial scholarship. "For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so," the spokesperson noted.

Executive Order and Broader Context

This week's testimony marks the first public congressional examination of a top Smithsonian leader since President Donald Trump issued his March 27, 2025 executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The directive instructed Vice President J.D. Vance, working with presidential domestic policy advisers, to eliminate what the administration termed "improper ideology" from Smithsonian facilities. The order argued that content portraying America in unfavorable terms belonged outside federal cultural institutions.

The White House investigation into the Smithsonian—which manages 21 museums, galleries, and the national zoo—culminated in the July 4 report focusing on the American history museum. The document leveled accusations of "anti-White activism," "illegal alien activism," and "transgender activism" against the institution. It also featured numerous photographs of materials the administration identified as problematic.

Furthermore, the report questioned the museum's leadership for allegedly lacking sufficient patriotism. "The serious concerns raised in this report are not about a few exhibits or a few controversial labels," the document declared. "As it stands today, it would benefit most Americans, especially parents bringing their children for a tour, if the Smithsonian's flagship history museum had a label at every entrance that reads: 'Warning: the exhibits in this museum were prepared by people who don't want you to love your country.'"

Hartig countered this assertion during her Tuesday remarks, extending an invitation to legislators to personally observe the museum's offerings. "I believe what you will find, madams and sirs, is not an institution that has forgotten its country, but one that loves it enough to tell the full sweep of history, our triumphs and our struggles," she said. "I love the United States of America. I consider it"

Photo: Anthea M. Hartig arrives for the Smithsonian Celebration of Asian Pacific Americans in Los Angeles on May 18, 2019. Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: The Smithsonian American History Museum on July 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. Finn Gomez/Getty Images

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