Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution

What it does

• •Directs the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to identify and use available authorities to address issues at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History identified in a prior Domestic Policy Council report.
• •Requires the National Park Service to install temporary signage on public sidewalks and walkways leading to the Museum informing visitors of the report's findings and directing them to alternative historical resources.
• •Requires the National Park Service to install temporary exhibits or signage on NPS-maintained public areas to correct what the order characterizes as inaccurate information presented in the Museum regarding the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Why it matters

• •The order asserts that Smithsonian leadership uses American history as a tool for social justice rather than presenting it as shared national heritage, and directs federal agencies to address this through available statutory and budgetary mechanisms.
• •The signage requirement places official warnings about the Museum's content on federal property accessed by the public during the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.

Who is affected

• •The Smithsonian Institution and its National Museum of American History leadership and operations.
• •Visitors to the Museum and the National Park Service-maintained grounds surrounding it.
• •Federal agencies including the Department of Interior, National Park Service, Office of Management and Budget, and General Services Administration.

What happens next

The order is effective immediately; designated federal agencies are directed to implement the signage and exhibit requirements and identify additional authorities to address the identified concerns.