ANDREW HARNIK / Getty Images via AFP
Donald Trump wants Washington museums to be adequate with his vision of America. (Illustration photo)
United States – Donald Trump’s war against the American capital has only just begun. The White House announced Tuesday August 12 to the institution which manages the main museums of Washington that the American administration was going to carry out an in -depth examination. A way for her to ensure their ” alignment “ With the vision of America advocated by the Republican President.
This examination, justified by the festivities around the 250th anniversary of the United States next year, according to the mail that the White House published on its website, will focus on exhibitions, texts, conservation or even programming of eight museums from the capital managed by the Smithsonian Institution.
“This initiative aims to guarantee the alignment with the president’s directive to celebrate the exceptional nature of America, to suppress divisive or partisan speeches and to restore confidence in our cultural institutions”can we read in the missive. “In this spirit and in accordance with the decree” aimed at “Restore truth and reason in American history, we will conduct an in -depth internal exam”added the letter dated Tuesday.
The White House refers to a decree signed in March aimed at regaining control of the content of the museums of the Smithsonian, accused of “Historical revisionism” by Donald Trump and having led a “Ideological indoctrination” racial.
Museums summoned to bring « corrections »
In ” 120 days “or by the beginning of 2026, “Museums should start implementing corrections when necessary”anticipates the administration, in particular “By replacing the cleavage or ideological remarks with descriptions which bring together, which are historically exact and constructive”.
The establishments concerned are the Museum of American History, the Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC), the Museum of American Indians, the Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Garden Sculpture.
At the beginning of August, the Washington Post reported that the American History Museum had withdrawn from an exhibition hall any reference to the two procedures for dismissing the American president. The museum later assured that this temporary reference had been withdrawn without any request from above.
La Smithsonian Institution “Review the letter” From the White House, she said in a statement. But she claims to continue her work “Based on a deep commitment of academic excellence, rigorous research and the reliable and factual representation of history. »»
Donald Trump’s conservative government has embarked on a vast recovery of cultural institutions on which it has influence, from museums to universities, in order to expurge them from what it considers to be progressive ideas, which highlight and support minorities.