One of the Republican Party’s rising stars left the director of the Smithsonian stumbling by utilizing a brilliant line of questioning that exposed her organization’s anti-white agenda.
During Tuesday’s House Oversight hearing, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) tangled with Dr. Anthea Hartig, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, over a mass toolkit her organization had been promoting that characterizes so many cultural manners and icons as white supremacy.
These include politeness, objectivity, and even Mickey Mouse.
Hartig stumbled, froze, and stammered at various points during her confrontation with Gill when confronted with this toolkit. Making it even worse, Gill used important yet easy-to-answer questions that an honest person could nail.
But not Hartig. What follows is nearly four minutes of complete destruction.
WATCH:
🚨 OMG. Brutal moment as Rep. Brandon Gill embarrasses Smithsonian Director Hartig with this line of questioning
GILL: Is it important to be polite?
HARTIG: Yes
GILL: Your organization says politeness is a defining characteristic of white supremacy culture. Ma’am, are you a… pic.twitter.com/Yeoqtx32G9
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 21, 2026
GILL: Would you say that the goal of history is to be objective?
HARTIG (pauses): Thank you, sir, for the question. I think there are many goals of history, and certainly as you collect and examine evidence…
GILL: Is objectivity one of them?
HARTIG: We strive to be objective and nonpartisan…
GILL: So it’s one of the goals. Does it seem a little bit concerning that this white supremacy document that your organization has promoted shows that objectivity is a defining and core aspect of white supremacy culture?
Do you think it is the goal of the Smithsonian to promote white supremacist culture?
HARTIG (pauses and writes): Do you mind sharing with me which document?
(Gill shows her the document, Hartig then goes silent)
GILL: Are you promoting a white supremacy culture at the Smithsonian?
HARTIG (puzzled): Am I promoting…
GILL: Ma’am, is this a difficult question?
HARTIG: No, sir. I’m just thinking about the mass action toolkit. We didn’t develop it.
But, um…We’re not promoting any ideology.
GILL: Does it concern you that one of your goals is objectivity, yet your mass toolkit references objectivity as a defining characteristic of white supremacy?
HARTIG: It’s not our toolkit…It is used as a reference, I believe, in 2019, 2020…
GILL: Yes, under your leadership, it has been used as a reference. Is Mickey Mouse racist?
HARTIG: Mickey Mouse is not racist.
GILL: According to the Smithsonian Institute, one of your exhibits referenced Mickey Mouse as “one of the last vestiges of black-faced minstrelsy.” Would you describe that as racist?
HARTIG: No, the historical trajectories of the origins of, of, of, Mickey Mouse tie directly to uh…
GILL: So, Mickey Mouse is rooted in racism. Is that your testimony?
HARTIG: No, sir, it’s rooted in minstrelsy.
GILL: You don’t think black-faced minstrelsy is racist?
HARTIG: It has certain and obvious racial overtones.
GILL: Do you think it’s problematic that Mickey Mouse also has those racial overtones?
HARTIG: It’s not for me to determine what’s problematic; it’s for me to determine what’s accurate.
GILL: Is it important to be polite?
HARTIG: Excuse me?
GILL: Is it important to be polite?
HARTIG: Yes, sir.
GILL: Interesting. The same mass toolkit your organization has been promoting references politeness as a defining characteristic of white supremacy culture.
Ma’am, are you a white supremacist?
HARTIG: No, sir.
GILL: Can you help me square why your organization says that being polite is a part of being a white supremacist?
HARTIG: I’m not familiar with the passage.
GILL: I just read you the passage from it.
HARTIG: And then your question was, sir?
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