Trump Proposes Lowest Smithsonian Budget in a Decade

The White House has proposed the smallest federal budget for the Smithsonian Institution in ten years, allocating $961.3 million for Fiscal Year 2027, an 11% decrease from the previous year's $1.08 billion. The proposal, part of a House subcommittee appropriations bill approved in June, includes $841.3 million for salaries and expenses and $120 million for facilities maintenance and capital projects, the latter unchanged for the second consecutive year. Additionally, the budget outlines a 6% reduction in full-time staff, from 4,047 to 3,804 employees. These cuts align with the Trump administration's ongoing criticism of the Smithsonian, which has been accused of promoting a 'woke' agenda across its 21 museums and the National Zoo. However, Mark B. Harkins, a senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, noted that the figures are preliminary and subject to change. The proposed budget represents a significant reduction in federal support for the institution, which relies on a mix of federal appropriations and private funding.