**Trump Signs Executive Order Aimed at Reshaping Smithsonian's Narrative**

**The executive order emphasizes the elimination of what the administration considers anti-American ideologies from key cultural institutions.**

In a significant move reflecting ongoing cultural tensions, President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order focusing on the Smithsonian Institution, which maintains over 20 museums and research facilities frequented by millions annually in Washington, D.C., and New York City. The order mandates the vice president to eliminate "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology," potentially reorienting the narratives presented in museums, research centers, and even the National Zoo.

Entitled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," the directive also calls for the restoration of federal properties, including parks and historical statues, that were altered in what the administration characterizes as a push towards a misleading revision of U.S. history over the past five years. Vice President JD Vance, newly appointed to the Smithsonian Board of Regents, will spearhead the overhaul deemed necessary for cultural reformation.

The order outlines congressional funding restrictions for Smithsonian exhibits and programs perceived to foster division among Americans. It specifically criticizes the developing American Women's History Museum, claiming it intends to "recognize men as women," while also pointing to the National Museum of African American History and Culture as having labeled fundamentals such as "hard work" and "individualism" as components of "White culture." This museum was inaugurated in 2016 as President Barack Obama was concluding his term.

With free admission attracting an estimated 15 to 30 million visitors each year, the Smithsonian encompasses 21 museums and the National Zoo across Washington D.C., Virginia, and New York. Furthermore, the executive order instructs Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to complete enhancements to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, in preparation for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

This latest decision is part of Trump's wider strategy to combat what he describes as a prevalent "woke" left-wing ideology in American culture. In his presidency, he has undertaken numerous initiatives aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across federal agencies, many of which have incited legal disputes. Notably, after his inauguration, he dismissed the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and appointed himself as chairman, prompting backlash from prominent artists and subsequent cancellations of performances.