Trump is trying to rewrite the history of our country. Sign the petition to urge the Smithsonian to hold strong against Trump's threats!
Dear MoveOn member,
Trump is pledging that "big changes are being made at the Smithsonian" after the White House threatened to strip the Smithsonian's funding if it didn't change its museums to fit his far-right worldview.1
The Smithsonian's top executives have said the museum would maintain its authority over exhibits and programming. But it's abundantly clear that Trump is refusing to accept that independence.
If Trump succeeds in rewriting history at our country's national museums, it will have far-reaching impacts. Add your name to reject his dangerous attacks!
The iconic Smithsonian Institution is made up of 17 free museums, galleries, and a zoo in Washington D.C., and an additional two museums in New York City. These publicly accessible museums tell the story of our country—teaching visitors about the history of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, showcasing art, and highlighting feats like space exploration.
White House officials are insisting on reviewing the Smithsonian museums' current and future exhibitions, insisting on compliance with Trump's cultural directives within a 120-day deadline.2 It's no surprise they're targeting artists of color and exhibits depicting America's diversity—going as far as to release a newsletter detailing "objectionable art."3
Trump's controlling what Americans can see in public museums is right out of the authoritarian playbook. Will you sign the petition telling the Smithsonian to preserve history and fight back against Trump's threats?
Four Democratic senators have already sent a letter to the Smithsonian echoing calls to protect the institution and the historical record from Trump's relentless bullying.
One historian called the White House's review of the Smithsonian "a full assault on the autonomy of all the different branches of the institution."4 Another historian said it's Trump's attempt to "put his stamp on the way we tell the story of America."5
Trump's war on the Smithsonian is the front line of his administration's attacks on American institutions. Big law firms, tech companies, media corporations, and universities have all folded to Trump's threats—emboldening him to escalate his authoritarian tactics against any organization, company, and institution he disagrees with.
The Smithsonian must continue rejecting Trump's threats—add your name to protect our country's history from these right-wing attacks!
Thanks for all you do.
–Joey DeFrancesco, Demand Progress
Sources:
1. "Speech: Donald Trump Addresses the Religious Liberty Commission in Washington," Roll Call, September 8, 2025
https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-speech-religious-liberty-commission-september-8-2025/
2. "Smithsonian artists and scholars respond to White House list of objectionable art," NPR, August 24, 2025
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/24/nx-s1-5511241/smithsonian-white-house-art
3. Ibid.
4. "White House Announces Comprehensive Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions," The New York Times, August 12, 2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/arts/design/smithsonian-exhibitions-review-white-house-trump.html
5. "'Whitewashing of History': Harvard Historian on Trump's Targeting of School Curricula, Smithsonian," Democracy Now!, August 18, 2025
https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/18/smithsonian_american_history
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