President Donald Trump has instructed the Smithsonian Institution and other federally funded museums to undergo an ideological review aimed at removing what the White House calls “woke” or “divisive” content. The directive, issued under Executive Order 14253 and backed by a formal letter sent on 19 August, requires curators to align exhibitions with a narrative of American exceptionalism. Museums have 30, 75 and 120 days to submit revised materials, with a final assessment scheduled before the United States marks its 250th anniversary in July 2026. Trump amplified the move on Truth Social, complaining that Smithsonian exhibits focus “only on how bad slavery was” and lack stories of national achievement. The order threatens financial and legal penalties—an effective lever given that more than 60 percent of the Smithsonian’s budget comes from federal appropriations. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III said the institution would cooperate with the review while maintaining its commitment to scholarly rigor and objective history. Historians, museum associations and civil-rights groups warned that the review could amount to political censorship comparable to so-called “memory laws” in Poland and Russia. Chilean President Gabriel Boric added international pressure on 25 August, stating that U.S. democracy is being “undermined day by day” when a government dictates what museums may display. The controversy underscores the broader clash between the Trump administration’s push for nationalist narratives and curators’ efforts to present a comprehensive account of the American past.