The Smithsonian Institution, particularly the National Museum of American History and related exhibits, has been accused of downplaying or negatively reframing aspects of American history in favor of a more critical, race- and social-justice-focused narrative.
Actor Kelsey Grammer recently appeared on the Planet Tyrus podcast and warned, “If you don’t know where you come from, you don’t know who you are.”
“If you don’t know who you are, you can be controlled.”
“It does start with our education system.”
“There’s a whole bunch of things that just have got to stop with our educational system, and we got to retool it. There’s no question.”
Grammer also criticized the belittling of America’s Founding Fathers as ‘old white men.’
“I mean, Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote what is arguably the most important political document in the history of man.”
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The Smithsonian’s bias has been a topic of debate.
On Tuesday, during a House Oversight hearing, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) grilled Dr. Anthea Hartig, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, over the institution’s anti-white agenda and efforts to rewrite American history.
One component is the “mass action” toolkit being promoted that characterizes so many cultural manners and icons as white supremacy.
These include the nuclear family, celebrating holidays like Christmas, politeness, objectivity, and even Mickey Mouse.
The White House shared a 162-page report from the Domestic Policy Council, “Saving America’s Story,” that accuses the National Museum of American History of “ideological capture” by a “radical, activist ideology.”
Further, it claims the museum erases or minimizes America’s heritage, downplays the Founders and positive milestones, emphasizes social justice themes, and treats the American story as a tool for division rather than shared national pride. The report was released on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
In March 2025, President Trump issued the Executive Order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” and ordered steps to counter what the administration described as a widespread effort to rewrite U.S. history by casting founding principles and achievements in a negative light (as inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive).
It specifically called out the Smithsonian for promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology.”
A specific exhibit that has been highly criticized is “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum for statements that race has been used “to establish and maintain systems of power, privilege, and disenfranchisement,” and that sculpture promoted “scientific racism,” and that race is a social construct rather than a biological reality.
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