Smithsonian Museum Director Rejects White House ‘Radical Activist’ Claims

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Smithsonian Museum Director Rejects White House ‘Radical Activist’ Claims/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig rejected a White House report portraying the Smithsonian institution’s leadership as radical and untrustworthy. Hartig told a House subcommittee that the report failed to represent the museum’s full collection, exhibitions and educational programming accurately. Republicans questioned the museum’s treatment of American independence, identity and marginalized communities as Hartig’s future remained uncertain.

Anthea Hartig, Director of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute, attends a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency hearing about the Smithsonian, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency Chair Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., attends a subcommittee hearing about the Smithsonian, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Quick Look

Anthea Hartig testified before a House Oversight subcommittee Tuesday.
She rejected the White House’s characterization of museum leaders as radical activists.
Hartig said the report did not accurately reflect the museum’s full body of work.
The White House Domestic Policy Council released the report July 4.
It argued that the museum failed to present an inspiring and unifying account of US history.
Trump is seeking to reshape historical narratives at federally connected cultural institutions.
His administration has targeted diversity, equity and inclusion content.
Republicans criticized what they described as the museum’s “woke exhibits.”
Hartig said the museum does not take sides in political debates.
She defended including historical voices and objects that earlier narratives overlooked.
The museum opened “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness” in May.
The exhibition features 250 objects commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
Artifacts include Thomas Jefferson’s desk and the Star-Spangled Banner.
Republicans also questioned Hartig about the former “Girlhood (It’s Complicated)” exhibition.
Hartig described leading the museum as “the honor of my career.”

Anthea Hartig, Director of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute, speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency hearing about the Smithsonian, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Matthew Spalding, Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government at Hillsdale College, testifies during a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency hearing about the Smithsonian, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Deep Look

Smithsonian Director Rejects White House Report

WASHINGTON — The director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History rejected a White House report Tuesday that portrayed the institution’s leaders as radical activists who could not be trusted to present the country’s past.

Anthea M. Hartig defended the museum during testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee.

She said the administration’s report failed to represent accurately the institution’s collections, exhibitions and public programs.

“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,” Hartig said.

“There is always room for improvement. But I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections, our exhibits, and our programming.”

Trump Seeks to Reshape Historical Narratives

The hearing took place as President Donald Trump continued a national campaign to change how cultural institutions controlled or influenced by the federal government present American history.

The administration has focused particularly on removing diversity, equity and inclusion themes from museum exhibitions and other public narratives.

The effort has raised concerns among historians who argue that it could minimize slavery, racism and the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities.

The White House says federally connected institutions should present the country’s history in a more patriotic and unifying manner.

White House Releases July Fourth Report

The White House Domestic Policy Council issued its report July 4, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of American independence.

It focused on the National Museum of American History, a central institution in the Smithsonian complex on Washington’s National Mall.

The report argued that the museum does not tell American history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.”

It also accused the institution’s leadership of promoting an ideological interpretation of the past.

Republicans Criticize Museum’s Approach

Republican members of the House panel repeated several of the White House’s criticisms during Tuesday’s hearing.

Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee argued that the museum presents American history primarily through conflict between dominant and marginalized groups.

“In the museum’s current telling, history is just an ongoing power struggle between oppressors and the oppressed,” Burchett said.

“The report makes clear that the museum’s woke exhibits and materials reflect a broader vision held by the museum leadership.”

Hartig Says Museum Does Not Take Sides

Hartig, the first woman to lead the National Museum of American History, said the institution “does not take sides in America’s political debates.”

She described the museum’s evolving presentation of history as an effort to include more evidence and perspectives rather than remove traditional narratives.

“When historians talk about reframing a traditional narrative, we don’t mean erasing it,” Hartig said.

“We mean adding the evidence, the voices, the objects, that earlier tellings left out, so that more Americans can see themselves reflected in the national story.”

White House Says Museum Fails to Celebrate Nation

The administration’s report claimed that the museum “has refused to celebrate the Nation and its history.”

It argued that the institution had not created a comprehensive exhibition explaining the broader story of the United States.

“It has not created any exhibit dedicated to presenting a general narrative of American history or telling the story of any of our Founding Fathers, the Second Continental Congress, the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolutionary War, or the achievement of independence and the establishment of the constitutional rule of law,” the report said.

Museum Highlights Independence Exhibition

The National Museum of American History opened an exhibition in May titled “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness.”

The exhibition presents 250 objects throughout the museum to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The artifacts include the desk Thomas Jefferson used to draft the Declaration of Independence.

The display also features a Revolutionary War-era gunboat and the Star-Spangled Banner.

The exhibition’s existence challenges the report’s contention that the museum is not presenting material connected to independence and the founding period.

Republicans Say Displays Are Hard to Find

Some Republican lawmakers acknowledged that the museum contains important material commemorating the anniversary.

They argued, however, that visitors might have difficulty locating it or understanding how the separate objects form a larger historical narrative.

Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas said he expected information about the Declaration of Independence to be displayed more prominently during a recent visit.

“I’m not saying it’s not there, but it’s hard to find,” Cloud said.

‘Girlhood’ Exhibition Draws Scrutiny

Republicans also questioned Hartig about an exhibition titled “Girlhood (It’s Complicated).”

The exhibition, which ran from 2020 through 2023, included the diary of a 13-year-old examining subjects that included gender identity.

Hartig told lawmakers that the exhibition displayed a label explaining that it was not intended for children.

The questioning reflected the wider political debate over how museums should present gender and sexuality, particularly when young people appear in exhibition material.

Hartig’s Future Remains Uncertain

Questions about Hartig’s future as museum director hung over the hearing.

Trump said last year that he was firing Kim Sajet, the longtime director of the National Portrait Gallery.

Like the National Museum of American History, the Portrait Gallery operates independently of direct executive-branch authority.

Sajet nevertheless resigned amid pressure from the White House.

That episode has raised concerns that Hartig could face similar pressure despite the Smithsonian’s institutional independence.

Burchett Questions Hartig’s Leadership

At one point in the hearing, Burchett asked Hartig why she should remain in her position.

Hartig responded that overseeing the National Museum of American History is “the honor of my career.”

Her brief answer emphasized her commitment to the institution while avoiding a direct political confrontation over her employment.

The hearing left unresolved whether the White House or congressional Republicans would pursue additional changes to the museum’s leadership, exhibitions or funding.