President Donald Trump is once again swinging his culture war sledgehammer — this time at the Smithsonian Institution, in a sweeping executive order that could defund any exhibits that don’t align with his administration’s rigid definition of “American values.” That means museums featuring content around race, gender, and identity — including exhibits spotlighting queer and trans experiences — could soon see their federal dollars dry up.
The order, signed Thursday, puts Vice President JD Vance in charge of sniffing out what the administration deems “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” across the 21 museums and 14 education centers that make up the Smithsonian network. And yes, this includes spotlighting programs that “recognize men as women” — a direct slap at trans inclusion, dressed in government-issue lingo.
Once a safe haven for marginalized stories, the Smithsonian now finds itself in the crosshairs of a government that’s systematically erasing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across all federal institutions. The order doesn’t just call for ideological cleansing — it directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to revive monuments and names that were “improperly removed,” like Confederate memorials and good ol’ Mount McKinley, undoing efforts to reckon with America’s violent past.
Trump’s crusade goes far beyond museum walls. In recent weeks, his administration has booted DEI employees, gutted federal DEI offices, and shut down online references to inclusion programs. The Education Department is investigating over 50 universities for allegedly prioritizing race in grad admissions, while the Defense Department recently erased thousands of pages celebrating the contributions of women, Black, Native American, and LGBTQ+ communities — only to partially reverse course after public outcry.
Now, with JD Vance — a man who’s made a political brand out of pandering to cultural panic — overseeing the Smithsonian’s ideological detox, queer Americans and other marginalized groups are right to be concerned. Vance’s new mandate includes stacking the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents with people who are “committed to advancing the celebration of America’s extraordinary heritage,” a phrase that conveniently excludes the lived history of anyone outside the conservative ideal.
Let’s not pretend the timing is coincidental. This order is a glossy piece of red meat tossed to a base hungry for grievance politics. But for the LGBTQ community, especially queer and trans youth seeking affirmation in national spaces, this move is more than symbolic. It threatens to erase their stories from America’s official narrative, rendering them invisible in institutions meant to educate and inspire.
Trump’s order frames its mission as fighting “corrosive ideology,” but what it’s actually fighting is the truth — messy, complex, inclusive history that makes room for everyone. And when the federal government dictates which stories can and can’t be told, that’s not patriotism. That’s censorship with a red tie.