Trump Orders Disclaimer Signs at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing that disclaimer signs be placed outside the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History (NMAH). The administration has tasked officials with “taking all available steps” to correct the identified issues, including installing temporary warning signs. The directive follows a House Oversight subcommittee hearing in which museum director Anthea M. Hartig defended the institution’s approach.

The Hill

The Trump administration has pursued a broader effort to reshape narratives presented by federally funded cultural institutions. Earlier this year, Trump publicly criticized Smithsonian sites for emphasizing the history of slavery over “the country’s success.” A prior attempt to remove a slavery-focused exhibit from George Washington’s home in Philadelphia led to a legal dispute over presidential authority.

The Hill

• July 21, 2026 – House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency holds a hearing on the Smithsonian, featuring testimony from Anthea M. Hartig and questioning by Rep. Tim Burchett.

Associated Press

• The contested “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)” exhibit, which ran from 2020 through 2023, featured a diary from a 13-year-old exploring gender identity and was labeled as not intended for children.

Associated Press

• **Anthea M. She also noted that updating exhibits means “adding overlooked voices,” not erasing existing narratives.

NewsNation

• **Rep.

Associated Press

• Rep. Tim Burchett and other Republican lawmakers contend that the museum’s displays offer a one-sided view and lack prominent references to foundational documents such as the Declaration of Independence.

Associated Press

• “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,” — Anthea Hartig, out NMAH director

Associated Press

• “In the museum’s current telling, history is just an ongoing power struggle between oppressors and the oppressed,” — Rep. Tim Burchett, government efficiency chair

Associated Press

• “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,” — Anthea Hartig, out NMAH director

The Hill

• “The real reason behind this is about financial repair to the descendents of the enslaved Africans,” — Sunny Hostin

Fox News (website)

• “And, so, what this is about is money,” — Sunny Hostin

Fox News (website)

The report’s assessment of the museum’s overall narrative therefore conflicts with the existence of such exhibits. Additionally, the future of Hartig’s directorship remains uncertain, as the hearing placed her tenure under scrutiny without a definitive outcome.

NewsNation

The administration has indicated that it will move forward with installing the mandated disclaimer signs and continue “taking all available steps” to address the concerns outlined in the White House report. Further oversight hearings are anticipated as the dispute over the museum’s interpretive approach evolves.

The Hill