ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

White House Report on Smithsonian History Found Riddled with Errors

opinion-review · 2026-07-07

The White House Domestic Policy Council issued a 160-page report with over 500 footnotes criticizing the National Museum of American History for alleged 'ideological capture' that 'Erases Our Heritage.' The report, announced by President Donald Trump over a year ago, attempts to rewrite Smithsonian history but is itself filled with factual errors. According to a Washington Post analysis, the document omits or distorts events that do not fit a sanitized narrative of American history, presenting the country as only incidentally marred by past imperfections. The report's claims are contradicted by the museum's actual exhibits and scholarship.

Key facts

  • White House Domestic Policy Council drafted the report.
  • Report is 160 pages with over 500 footnotes.
  • Targets National Museum of American History.
  • Alleges 'ideological capture' erases heritage.
  • President Donald Trump announced the initiative over a year ago.
  • Washington Post analysis finds report riddled with errors.
  • Report scrubs history of events not fitting a feel-good narrative.
  • Report presents imperfections as safely in the past.

Entities

Institutions

  • White House Domestic Policy Council
  • National Museum of American History
  • Smithsonian
  • Washington Post

Locations

  • United States

Sources