Republicans Challenge Smithsonian’s Narrative

On a Tuesday, the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee held a hearing in which Republican lawmakers pressed Anthea M. Hartig, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, over recent exhibitions that address gender identity, LGBTQ+ topics, and racial history. The questioning focused on displays such as “Girlhood (It’s complicated)” and “Entertainment Nation,” with GOP members accusing the museum of promoting a “woke ideology” and using taxpayer funds to advance a partisan agenda. Hartig defended the museum’s independence and its mission to present a fuller, more inclusive American story.

NPR

The hearing followed a 162-page report issued by the White House Domestic Policy Council on July 4. The report labeled the museum’s programming “extreme political activism,” claiming it underemphasizes the Founding Fathers and engages in “anti-white,” “illegal-alien,” and transgender activism. The critique is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to reshape curricula, museum exhibits, and historic sites they view as “woke.”

NPR

• July 4 – White House Domestic Policy Council releases the “Saving America’s Story” report accusing the museum of ideological bias.

The Spokesman-Review

• Early July – House Oversight Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), schedules a hearing.

WJAC - NBC 6

• Tuesday – Hearing held; Hartig testifies and is questioned by Republican members.

• Wednesday – Hartig is slated to appear before the House Administration Committee.

WJAC - NBC 6

• The Smithsonian Institution comprises 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo, housing more than 156 million artifacts.

NPR

• Hartig’s annual salary is roughly $370,000, paid from an endowment rather than direct federal appropriations.

NPR

• Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) accused the museum of “sexualizing the American history museum,” alleging it “represents queer pedophiles” and displays BDSM imagery to children.

• Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) questioned whether the museum uses taxpayer funds to push a “racial narrative that divides Americans.”

NPR

• The White House report claims the museum lacks a major exhibit on the nation’s founding era, yet witnesses noted that Thomas Jefferson’s writing desk and George Washington’s uniform are displayed in the “Price of Freedom” exhibition.

Daily Kos

• The report alleges the museum does not celebrate the 250th anniversary, while the museum’s “American Aspirations” exhibition, featuring Jefferson’s desk, was highlighted as part of the anniversary programming.

Daily Kos

• “The Smithsonian is a nonpartisan institution,” — Anthea Hartig

The Spokesman-Review

• “The Smithsonian Institution does not belong to the president. It does not belong to a political party. It belongs to the American people,” — Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM)

Daily Kos

Hartig is scheduled to appear before the House Administration Committee on Wednesday. Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) is expected to introduce the Smithsonian Integrity and Historical Independence Act, legislation that would bar federal officials from interfering with the institution’s historical interpretation.

The Spokesman-Review