President Donald Trump ordered his attorneys to launch a sweeping review of the Smithsonian Institution, saying its museums devote too much attention to “how bad Slavery was” and not enough to American achievements. In a Truth Social post he called the complex “OUT OF CONTROL” and labelled museums nationwide the last bastion of “woke” ideology. A White House letter signed by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought last week instructed eight Smithsonian museums to hand over exhibition plans within 30 days and to implement “content corrections” deemed necessary within 120 days. An administration official told NBC News the same approach could later be applied to other federally supported and private museums. The Smithsonian—founded in 1846 and comprising 21 museums, several research centres and the National Zoo—derives roughly 60% of its budget from congressional appropriations. The institution has not publicly responded to the president’s criticism. Historians and civil-rights advocates said the move risks political interference and could dilute scholarship on racism and discrimination. Trump’s museum strategy mirrors the playbook his administration is using with universities. Last month the government settled probes into campus “woke” policies with Columbia University, which agreed to pay $221 million, and Brown University, which will pay $50 million; negotiations with Harvard are continuing. White House aides said similar leverage, including possible funding cuts, remains on the table for the Smithsonian. Supporters frame the initiative as an effort to “celebrate American exceptionalism” ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026, while critics warn it amounts to rewriting history. The clash intensifies a broader national battle over how institutions present the country’s past—and how much discretion the federal government should wield over cultural narratives.