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Smithsonian Secretary Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch, III, has disputed a White House report that accuses the National Museum of American History of promoting “thinly veiled anti-Americanism” and “extreme political activism.”
The 162-page report was released by the White House Domestic Policy Council on July 4th. Titled Saving America’s Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage, the report outlines how the Smithsonian alleges erases American heritage.
The report reads in part, the “NMAH (National Museum of American History) has become subject to institutional capture by a radical, activist ideology that is fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of the great country we know and love.”
Additionally, the White House document goes on to state that the museum has moved towards “an extreme political activism” and anti-white activism, referring to terms such as “whiteness” and “white supremacy culture” as offensive.
According to Reuters, Bunch rejected the report findings in a memo sent to his staffers.
"While there will always be room for improvement, this report is not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History," Bunch wrote. "At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America's story."
He added, "As public servants and the keepers of this institution, we are charged with helping a nation find understanding, hope, and clarity and as part of that duty, we are dedicated to excellence, reflection, and growth.”
“We remain focused on what grounds us: a steadfast commitment to scholarship, nonpartisanship, independence, accuracy and integrity,” he continued. “For nearly 180 years, the Smithsonian has worked alongside partners across government — from the White House to Congress to our governing Board of Regents — guided by our enduring mission to increase and diffuse knowledge."
The report is part of President Donald Trump’s executive order, "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The order, signed last March, calls for the removal of what the president calls “anti-American ideology,” from public spaces and museums. Vice President J.D. Vance, who also sits on the museum’s Board of Regents, was tasked with removing “improper ideology” and eliminating exhibits that the administration believes portrays the country as divisive and oppressive and promotes race and gender divisions.
In 2019, Bunch became Smithsonian’s first Black secretary. The Howard University and American University graduate is also the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.