Trump orders warning signs installed outside Smithsonian's American History Museum

On July 24-25, 2026, President Donald Trump ordered the Interior Department to install temporary signage outside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., warning visitors that some exhibits contain what he characterizes as "inaccurate" information about American history. The order marks an escalation of Trump's ongoing criticism of the Smithsonian Institution, which he and allies have accused of politicizing exhibits by emphasizing injustices in American history rather than what they view as more triumphant moments, such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The directive follows a broader pattern of the administration seeking to influence content inside Smithsonian museums, with this signage order representing a new approach focused on the museum's exterior rather than its exhibits directly. Separately, Republican Rep. Mike Carey questioned Smithsonian leadership over the National Museum of American History reportedly removing "American history" from its mission statement and over comments from Smithsonian officials urging the institution to move beyond what was described as an "America First mentality." News organizations differ in emphasis: some outlets frame the order primarily as a continuation of Trump's broader campaign against the Smithsonian, while others center on the congressional questioning of museum leadership as a parallel development. As of the reporting, it remains unresolved when the signs will be installed, their exact wording, and how the Smithsonian Institution—which operates independently of executive branch control—will respond to or comply with the directive. The Smithsonian's official response to Carey's inquiry and to Trump's order had not been detailed in available reporting. The precise relationship between the congressional inquiry and the presidential order, including whether one prompted the other, is not established in the sourced accounts.