Trump Reshapes US Historical and Cultural Institutions

President Trump targets museums, monuments, and national parks to remove 'anti-American' ideology.

Feb. 2, 2026 at 9:15pm

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Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has taken several actions to reshape American historical sites and cultural bodies. This includes signing an executive order targeting 'anti-American ideology' at the Smithsonian Institution, ordering the restoration of Confederate statues, and criticizing the Smithsonian and the Kennedy Center as too liberal. Trump's moves have drawn criticism from civil rights groups who say they could reverse decades of social progress.

Why it matters

Trump's actions reflect his desire to reshape the narrative around American history and culture, removing what he sees as 'anti-American' elements. This raises concerns among civil rights advocates that crucial aspects of the nation's history, such as slavery and the mistreatment of Native Americans, could be erased or downplayed. The changes also threaten the independence of cultural institutions like the Smithsonian and Kennedy Center.

The details

Trump's executive order in March 2025 targeted the Smithsonian Institution, calling for the removal of 'anti-American ideology' from its museums and research centers. The Interior Department was also directed to restore federal parks, monuments, and memorials that had been 'removed or changed in the last years to perpetuate a false revision of history.' Trump has also criticized the excessive focus on 'how bad slavery was' and said civil rights protections hurt white people. As a result, the National Park Service has removed slavery exhibits and signs related to the mistreatment of Native Americans from national parks. The Smithsonian and Kennedy Center have also come under pressure, with Trump naming himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and filling its board with allies.

  • In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order targeting 'anti-American ideology' at the Smithsonian Institution.
  • In August 2025, Trump decried the excessive focus on 'how bad slavery was' in a social media post.
  • In January 2026, Trump said in an interview that civil rights protections hurt white people.
  • On January 22, 2026, the U.S. National Park Service removed a slavery exhibit from a historic site in Philadelphia.
  • In August 2025, the National Park Service said it would reinstall a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike that had been toppled in 2020.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th and 47th President of the United States, who has taken several actions to reshape American historical and cultural institutions since returning to the White House.

Smithsonian Institution

A premier exhibition space for U.S. history and culture, which has come under pressure from the Trump administration to remove 'anti-American ideology' from its museums and research centers.

U.S. National Park Service

The federal agency that manages the country's national parks, monuments, and historic sites, which has removed exhibits and signs related to slavery and the mistreatment of Native Americans following Trump's executive order.

NAACP

The largest U.S. civil rights group, which has criticized Trump's remarks as laying the groundwork to roll back social progress.

Black Lives Matter

A racial justice group that has said Trump's remarks show he wants to deny the atrocities of slavery.

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What they’re saying

“Stripping enslaved people's stories from museum exhibits, monuments, and digital archives is not neutrality – it is erasure.”

— NAACP

“Trump's remarks were laying the groundwork to roll back social progress.”

— NAACP

“Trump's remarks show he wanted to deny the atrocities of slavery.”

— Black Lives Matter

What’s next

The White House has launched an internal review of some Smithsonian museums, and the Trump administration has announced plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years for reconstruction starting in July.

The takeaway

President Trump's actions to reshape American historical and cultural institutions reflect his desire to remove what he sees as 'anti-American' ideology. However, these moves have drawn criticism from civil rights groups who fear they could reverse decades of social progress and undermine the acknowledgment of critical phases of American history.