Undermining the Past: The Trump Administration is Attacking the Smithsonian
The administration's attempt to control the narrative about America's past is dangerous and reeks of authoritarianism
When it comes to understanding the past, context is critical. Nearly everything is multifaceted and multicausal. Interpreting history is, therefore, a complicated task that requires not only a multitude of sources and research but also a willingness to acknowledge that history, much like the present, is complicated and sometimes contradictory. Acknowledging competing narratives is necessary to adequately interact with history as a subject in its own right and is central to challenging authoritarianism here and abroad. With the Trump administration’s attacks on the Smithsonian Museum, we must remember that only authoritarians seek to enforce triumphant myths, not honest actors. Attacks on history are one step towards indoctrination.
Intellectual independence
Throughout my career as a writer and commentator, I have written several pieces on the role of historical memory and interviewed numerous scholars and commentators examining American history. Throughout that work, the one constant was the importance of examining history with a critical lens. To analyze and appreciate historical figures and the context in which they existed. However, all that depends upon freedom and intellectual independence away from the state's power.
As I explained in my piece "Patriot History: The Right’s Attack on Intellectual Freedom," the government actively mandating a desired historical narrative inhibits accurate and nuanced understandings of history. In that piece, I explained:
"As I have noted before, historical inquiry is not determined by assumptions, beliefs, or personal politics; evidence determines it. When a historian makes an error, it is almost guaranteed that someone within the historical discipline will remind them of it. Indeed, Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States is a perfect example of this. Despite what some claim, Howard Zinn is not the darling of academic or public historians, although some in the Revisionist school of history may sympathize with him. Stanford Professor Sam Wineburg has made very direct and to-the-point criticisms of the monograph, which would give any Zinn fan pause. And it isn’t as if others haven’t shared similar criticisms of Zinn’s work. Historian and cultural critic Kyle Williams has also taken shots at Zinn.
All of these critics have major platforms and have used them to critique the work. And they did it with all the intellectual freedom afforded to them by their respective positions and without the federal government’s interference. If traditional academia intended to debunk or undermine some self-evident truth about American history, then they are doing a terrible job of it. It is one thing to critique Zinn’s work, I am happy to do so, but it is another thing entirely to take such work and then treat it as though it were representative of the entire field of history."
The first Trump administration had already sought to attack history and enforce its predetermined interpretation onto academia. This is even though many individuals in the administration, including the President, have absolutely no experience or understanding of historiography or historical methods, and it shows.
In President Trump's executive order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," the administration lambasts what it sees as an attack on the nation's triumphant history and accuses academics of attempting to "...rewrite history deepens societal divides and fosters a sense of national shame, disregarding the progress America has made and the ideals that continue to inspire millions around the globe." The order further orders Vice-President Vance and all officials under him to coordinate resources to "remove improper ideology" from federal properties, including the Smithsonian.
This narrative and approach ignores that not only is history constantly being rewritten as new evidence emerges, but also that history isn't about glorifying the nation. It is about explaining the past and understanding its impact on people. By arguing that history must avoid shame, this executive order reveals its true intentions: the censorship of undesirable narratives and truth. That only leads to lies and propaganda, and right now, that is exactly what Trump wants.
Conclusion
So long as people with power can control the study of history, the truth will never be free. History is complicated and divisive, and it doesn't belong to any one person. It can't belong to people like Donald Trump or J.D. Vance because they have shown themselves utterly unwilling to engage with the consequences of their policy-making. By advancing from guiding historical lessons to outright prohibiting undesirable ones, this administration sets the tone for future presidents to dictate what is true and what is not. It must end.
References
Blitzer, Jonathan. 2024. “Inside the Trump Plan for 2025.” The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/07/22/inside-the-trump-plan-for-2025 (April 6, 2025).
Kelly, Conor. 2023. “Not All History Is Made Equal.” The Progressive American with Conor Kelly. https://www.progressiveamerican.net/p/not-all-history-is-made-equal-6ab018c8be56 (April 6, 2025).
Kelly, Conor. “Episode 81: The Red Scare and Trumpism with Clay Risen.” https://www.progressiveamerican.net/p/episode-81-the-red-scare-and-trumpism (April 6, 2025).
Remnick, David. 2025. “At the Smithsonian, Donald Trump Takes Aim at History.” The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/04/14/at-the-smithsonian-donald-trump-takes-aim-at-history (April 6, 2025).
Superville, Darlene. “Trump Order on Smithsonian Targets Programs with ‘improper Ideology’ | AP News.” The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/trump-smithsonian-executive-order-improper-ideology-558ebfab722f603e94e02a1a4b06ed4d (April 6, 2025).
Trump, Donald. 2025. “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-truth-and-sanity-to-american-history/ (April 6, 2025).
Vanasco, Jennifer, and Elizabeth Blair. 2025. “How Will Trump’s Executive Order Affect the Smithsonian?” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/nx-s1-5343524/smithsonian-trump-executive-order (April 6, 2025).