Special Poll
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Thursday aimed at reversing many of the cultural shifts that took place during the racial reckoning of recent years restoring controversial monuments and removing what the administration calls “anti-American ideology” from national museums and other federal institutions.
According to the White House, the move is part of Trump’s broader effort to “restore truth and sanity to American history” by revitalizing cultural landmarks and eliminating narratives that, in Trump’s view, divide Americans and undermine national pride.
The executive order takes direct aim at institutions like the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, and federally funded education and research centers, directing them to purge exhibits and programs that address systemic racism, the transgender rights movement, and other topics the order labels as “divisive” or “anti-American.” It cites museum displays that critically examine the nation’s past including slavery and discrimination as examples of the so-called ideology Trump is targeting.
“The prior administration pushed a divisive ideology that reconstrued America’s promotion of liberty as fundamentally flawed, infecting revered institutions like the Smithsonian and national parks with false narratives,” the order states.
In addition, Trump’s directive instructs the Secretary of the Interior to restore statues and monuments that were “improperly removed or changed” over the last five years many of which were taken down in the wake of the 2020 protests following the police killing of George Floyd. These include memorials to Confederate generals and a pro-slavery Supreme Court justice who once declared that Black people were not American citizens.
While former President Joe Biden supported the removal of such statues and called for them to be housed in museums that contextualize their historical impact, Trump has long argued that removing monuments is an attempt to erase U.S. history and diminish the legacy of its founders and early leaders.
Critics say the new executive order is an attempt to whitewash painful truths about the nation’s past and to push a politically motivated version of history that ignores systemic injustice. Cultural experts and civil rights groups argue that reinstating monuments to racist figures and silencing discussions about America’s flaws sends a damaging message, particularly to Black, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized communities.
Opponents also warn that Trump’s directive could undermine academic freedom and cultural integrity, forcing federal institutions to conform to a narrow ideological agenda rather than presenting inclusive, fact-based narratives.
The backlash is already building, with historians, museum directors, and Democratic lawmakers questioning whether the federal government should be dictating the content of museums and research centers. Many say the order threatens to politicize public education and roll back progress made in reckoning with America’s complex history.
As Trump pushes forward with this culture war offensive, the question many are now asking is: Will these efforts help him rally his political base or hurt him by alienating Americans who want honest, inclusive conversations about the country’s past and future?