President Trump signed an executive order Thursday seeking to restore truth to American history through an overhaul of the Smithsonian.
The order, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” slams the Biden administration for ushering in an era of “corrosive ideology” in recent years and seeks to unfurl “divisive, race-centered” themes plaguing the institution.
“Once widely respected as a symbol of American excellence and a global icon of cultural achievement, the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology,” the order reads. “This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.”
The directive puts Vice President JD Vance in charge of overseeing efforts to “remove improper ideology” from all areas of the institution. Vance serves on the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents.