1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

President Donald Trump’s recent executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institution is an alarming escalation in his efforts to politicize and control America’s public institutions. The order tasks Vice President JD Vance, a member of the Board of Regents, with eliminating so-called “improper ideology” from the Smithsonian’s museums, educational programming, and even the National Zoo. According to the Associated Press (March 27, 2025), the order focuses particular attention on the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the forthcoming Women’s History Museum—signaling an attempt to rewrite or censor our shared history. This is not just an overreach—it’s an authoritarian move that echoes the playbooks of regimes that use state power to control narratives and suppress inconvenient truths. Our museums are supposed to preserve and present history, not bend to the political whims of whoever sits in the White House. As the Washington Post noted (March 27, 2025), the Smithsonian has historically operated with bipartisan support and institutional independence. Trump’s order not only threatens that autonomy but risks turning one of our country’s most trusted cultural institutions into a propaganda outlet. Our elected officials must act. This isn’t about politics—it’s about protecting the foundational pillars of American democracy: free thought, historical truth, and cultural integrity. I urge you to denounce this executive order, defend the independence of the Smithsonian, and take legislative action to protect America’s public institutions from future abuse. The time to draw a line is now.