House Republicans are moving to use the power of the purse to push the Smithsonian back toward what they call a more patriotic, factual presentation of American history. They say taxpayer-funded institutions should highlight the country’s achievements and exceptionalism instead of what they see as politicized narratives. Lawmakers have proposed funding limits, held hearings and are even pointing to executive action as leverage in the fight over museum content.
Republicans argue the Smithsonian answers to taxpayers and must reflect a balanced national story. “The Smithsonian is accountable to the taxpayers. So defunding them in certain ways, or tying their funds to requirements, I think is probably the best way to ensure that we bring the Smithsonian back to its required mandate,” Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital. “And that is to tell the truth about the American story, and to tell about the exceptionalism of this country and its people.”
Congress currently provides roughly $1 billion a year in federal funding to the Smithsonian, which oversees 21 museums and the National Zoo, alongside private donations. The House proposal for fiscal 2027 would set funding at about $961 million, an 11% reduction from current levels. That figure signals how serious House conservatives are about pressing for changes.
Lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee say tying money to clear requirements is the most direct route to reform museum narratives. “We can tie funding to specific requirements, and I think that might be the most effective way to go — saying that… ‘You have to highlight the exceptionalism. You have highlighted the good things that [the Founding Fathers have] done. You know, there’s no perfect country because there’s not a perfect person. But we are the best there is on the planet Earth,” Clyde said. Their aim is to ensure exhibits don’t downplay national achievements.
Others on the committee share that stance and push for objective historical teaching. “The Smithsonian’s role is to teach historic facts, not to put our country under a political kaleidoscope of woke ideology,” Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., said. Republicans argue that government funding should support straightforward, factual displays rather than activism.
The White House and Interior Department have also weighed in, with an executive order directing steps “to restore trust in the Smithsonian Institution,” including installing “temporary exhibits or signage on [federally owned] sidewalks, walkways, and land used by the public that corrects inaccurate information presented in the Museum.” That language signals federal willingness to push back on exhibits perceived as misleading.
Republicans have held multiple hearings focused on the National Museum of American History and related Smithsonian programming. They accused curators of promoting a politicized agenda on issues of race, class, gender and sexuality at the expense of a balanced account. Democrats countered those hearings as politicized attempts to control cultural institutions.
“They want to rewrite the history of this country and take away the resources and leadership of people who have fought, marched and served this country for generations,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said during Gill’s hearing. “We refuse to let historians, artists, scholars, and people who love these institutions with their entire hearts to be punished by an administration that is trying to exercise…political control, and rewrite American history.”
With budget negotiations still underway, the fight is far from over and both chambers will need to reconcile differing approaches. House conservatives can still press for tighter guardrails, funding reductions or specific reporting and accountability measures. Expect oversight, amendments and conservative proposals to remain part of the conversation as Congress finalizes FY2027 spending.
