ARC Condemns Presidential Audit Undermining Smithsonian Autonomy
United States
Administration Expands Ideological Control with Review of “Divisive Material” at Eight Museums
19 August 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(NEW YORK) — ARC – Artists at Risk Connection is deeply outraged by the Trump administration’s “comprehensive review” of all Smithsonian materials and threats to replace those deemed “divisive” within 120 days. ARC vehemently denounces any actions that compromise the autonomy of cultural institutions and calls on Congress and civil society to come together and uphold the Smithsonian’s indispensable role as a forum of open dialogue surrounding the nation’s history.
“While this does not come as a surprise, given the current administration’s established pattern of placing highly partisan, ideological conditions on federally-funded cultural institutions, we are taken aback by the sheer brazenness of this attack,” said ARC Executive Director Julie Trébault. “The current administration seeks to impose an amnesic and sanitized version of American history, one that obscures the nation’s most difficult truths and erases the extraordinary artistic and cultural contributions of marginalized communities. Such censorship is not only an attack on the Smithsonian, it is an attack on the very principles of intellectual freedom, artistic integrity, and democratic dialogue. It threatens to whitewash our national cultural landscape and impoverish future generations’ ability to engage honestly with our history.”
The review calls for the scouring of Smithsonian materials, including wall text, websites, and social media, “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.” A letter sent by the administration to Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Secretary of the Smithsonian on 12 August calls on the federally-funded museum network to “adjust” any content that officials object to within 120 days, demanding that the museum replace “divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.” The review will initially include eight of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, namely the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
In March 2025, ARC condemned the administration’s Executive Order, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, which sought to quash the autonomy of the Smithsonian institutions by defunding programs and exhibitions that “degrade shared American values.” These attacks follow a series of partisan actions, including changes to grant requirements for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), as well as the president’s self-appointment as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. ARC condemned these developments in a joint statement with PEN America and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), as well as attempts to “eliminate to the maximum extent” the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the country’s only agency dedicated to supporting museums and other crucial community spaces.
About ARC
ARC – Artists at Risk Connection is an international organization committed to promoting and advancing the right to artistic freedom worldwide. Founded in 2017, ARC works to protect artists and cultural workers who are at risk because of their creative expression, often connected to their identities or roles within their communities. By providing vital resources and support, ARC helps artists at risk overcome challenges like persecution, censorship, threats, and violence from both state and non-state actors—whether for their artistic expression or the broader impact they have on cultural, social, and political issues.
For press inquiries, please contact:
Julie Trébault
Executive Director
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC)
+1 646.860.5446