The order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to restore federal parks and monuments that have been ‘improperly removed’ in the past five years.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 27 directing the removal of what he deemed “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from facilities operated by the Smithsonian Institution.
The order states that Vice President JD Vance, who is a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, will oversee the removal of such ideology from the institute’s museums, research centers, and the National Zoo.
“Once widely respected as a symbol of American excellence and a global icon of cultural achievement, the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology,” it stated. “This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.”
Under Trump’s order, the institution will be prohibited from funding exhibits that “degrade shared American values, divide Americans by race, or promote ideologies inconsistent with Federal law.”
It also states that the American Women’s History Museum, which is currently under development, will only be allowed to host exhibits or programs that celebrate the achievements of women and not those of transgender-identifying individuals, according to the order’s fact sheet.
The order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to restore federal parks, monuments, memorials, statues, and markers that have been “improperly removed or changed in the last five years to perpetuate a false revision of history or improperly minimize or disparage certain historical figures or events.”
Trump also instructed Burgum to complete the restoration of Independence Hall by July 4, 2026, ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing, according to the fact sheet.
In his order, Trump accused the Biden administration of advancing “corrosive ideology” at the museums, including at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, where the former administration had sponsored training led by an organization “that advocates dismantling ‘Western foundations’ and ’interrogating institutional racism.’”
The order states that the American Women’s History Museum intended to host programs that celebrate “the exploits of male athletes participating in women’s sports.”
It also singled out the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which Trump said has characterized “hard work,” “individualism,” and “the nuclear family” as elements of “White culture.”
“In the last decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted effort to rewrite American history and force our nation to adopt a factually baseless ideology aimed at diminishing American achievement,” he stated, noting his order is “reestablishing truth in the historical narrative and restoring federal sites dedicated to American heritage.”
The Epoch Times reached out to the Smithsonian Institute for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
The Smithsonian Institution, established by Congress in 1846, holds immunity from lawsuits under U.S. laws, except in cases where Congress authorizes such legal actions under a specific statute, according to its website.
The institution operates 21 museums, 12 research and cultural centers, and the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
It has more than 6,500 employees and more than 3,800 onsite volunteers operating its facilities. Smithsonian museums and centers attract more than 17 million visitors every year, according to its recent report.
According to its website, the Smithsonian Institution receives funding from federal appropriations and income generated from gifts, revenue-generating activities, and investments.
The institution has requested more than $1.1 billion in federal funding for the fiscal year 2025 to cover “essential operating expenses, priority program increases, and revitalization of the institution’s physical infrastructure.”
The ideology removal comes amid the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs from federal agencies and government initiatives.
Trump stated in a Jan. 20 executive order that the previous administration had forced “illegal and immoral discrimination programs” across virtually “all aspects of the federal government” through DEI initiatives.
“The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today,” the order stated.