How the Smithsonian became the latest front in Trump’s culture war

A recent 162-page White House report has ignited a debate over the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, accusing the institution of ideological capture. The report specifically criticizes a 2021 exhibit, “The Electric Dr. Franklin,” which highlighted Benjamin Franklin’s history as a slaveholder and suggested that enslaved people may have assisted in his electrical experiments. The White House report argues that such exhibits represent a shift away from objective historical education toward extreme political activism. The critique is part of a broader effort by the administration to challenge how American history is presented in public institutions. The exhibit, which closed in 2025, remains a focal point for those arguing that cultural institutions are being used to advance specific political agendas, while supporters of the museum maintain that the inclusion of such historical context is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the Founding Fathers.