President Donald Trump ordered the interior department to install signs in front of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History that accuse the institution of inaccuracy, according to [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum). The executive order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to collaborate with the National Park Service and Vince Haley, assistant to the president for domestic policy, to create temporary signs along National Park Service-maintained sidewalks and walkways leading into the museum, as reported by [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum).
Trump Orders Warning Signs Placed Outside Smithsonian History Museum
The order stipulates that the signs must notify visitors that museum exhibits should be renovated to align with findings from a White House report, while also directing the public to alternative resources for American history information, according to [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum). Additionally, the group must produce public signs criticizing the Smithsonian for insufficiently commemorating the Declaration of Independence during the 250th anniversary of its adoption, as detailed by [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum). [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-orders-signage-warning-visitors-inaccurate-information-smithsoni-rcna589156) noted that the president also directed Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and the administrator of the General Services Administration to use all available authorities to promote the order’s policies alongside Burgum and Haley.
Background on White House Reports and Previous Executive Orders
The new directive follows a 160-page White House Domestic Policy Council report released on July 4 titled Saving America's Story,
according to [Artnet News](https://news.artnet.com/art-world/anthea-hartig-hearing-smithsonian-2789825). [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum) reported that the report accused the museum’s leadership of ideological capture,
claiming the institution adopted a framework that treats the American story as a political instrument to divide citizens rather than a shared national inheritance.
[NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-orders-signage-warning-visitors-inaccurate-information-smithsoni-rcna589156) reported that Trump previously signed an executive order in March 2025 intending to force changes at the Smithsonian Institution by targeting federal funding for programs that present divisive narratives
and improper ideology.
[huffpost.com](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-orders-new-signs-calling-smithsonian-exhibits-inaccurate_n_6a63ee84e4b0bd608d2b86ae) noted that because the president lacks the authority to quickly fire Smithsonian leadership or order direct exhibit changes, the new order targets the sidewalks outside the building.
Smithsonian Leadership and Congressional Defense
Smithsonian officials declined to comment on Friday, according to [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum) and [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-orders-signage-warning-visitors-inaccurate-information-smithsoni-rcna589156). However, Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch defended the institution in an email to [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/trump-orders-signage-warning-visitors-inaccurate-information-smithsoni-rcna589156), stating that the White House report is not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History,
and emphasizing the organization’s commitment to scholarship, nonpartisanship, and independence.
Broader Cultural Context and Professional Reactions
The escalating conflict has drawn responses from professional organizations and lawmakers. [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/trump-smithsonian-history-museum) reported that the American Historical Association praised the Smithsonian Institution’s commitment to scholarship and accuracy, warning that political interference threatens historical interpretation and public trust.
According to [Artnet News](https://news.artnet.com/art-world/anthea-hartig-hearing-smithsonian-2789825), congressional hearings responding to the Saving America's Story
report featured debate among lawmakers, including Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico. Stansbury introduced the Smithsonian Integrity and Historical Independence Act,
which aims to bar federal officials from interfering in independent cultural institutions, as detailed by [Artnet News](https://news.artnet.com/art-world/anthea-hartig-hearing-smithsonian-2789825). [huffpost.com](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-orders-new-signs-calling-smithsonian-exhibits-inaccurate_n_6a63ee84e4b0bd608d2b86ae) noted that the Smithsonian operates outside the executive branch, with museum directors reporting to Secretary Lonnie Bunch under the oversight of a Board of Regents.
Worth a look