特朗普政府威胁削减联邦机构对史密森学会的支持

Trump administration threatens to cut federal agencies’ support for Smithsonian

2026-09-03 04:54:02 UTC / Reuters

By Kanishka Singh

September 3, 2026 4:54 AM UTC Updated 2 hours ago

Item 1 of 3 People view displays at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 25, 2026. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno

[1/3]People view displays at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 25, 2026. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary

• Interior secretary, White House official wrote to Smithsonian
• Trump has repeatedly attacked Smithsonian during his second term
• Rights advocates warn of undermining acknowledgement of key phases of US history

WASHINGTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s administration has threatened to cut federal agencies’ ‌support for the Smithsonian, marking its latest escalation against the institution.

A letter, opens new tab by U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and White House Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley to the Smithsonian’s governing board said federal ​agencies “cannot in good conscience continue to support the Smithsonian under current leadership ​by, for example, loaning artifacts for exhibits, enabling procurement processes and making ⁠discretionary grants.”

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The Trump administration has also previously threatened to cut federal funding for the Smithsonian, ​with Trump expressing his displeasure with what he called the institution’s excessive focus on ​how bad slavery was.

The Smithsonian is a vast museum and research complex and a premier exhibition space for U.S. history and culture, with 21 museums and galleries and the National Zoo. It had ​no immediate comment on the letter.

Historians and civil rights advocates have denounced Trump’s attacks ​on the institution, saying such steps risk reversing social progress and undermining the acknowledgement of critical ‌phases ⁠of U.S. history.

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Trump has also ordered that signs be installed outside the institution’s National Museum of American History to reflect his administration’s criticism of it and his administration last year launched a review of some museums.

Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch has said a White ​House report that accused ​the National Museum ⁠of American History of “thinly veiled anti-Americanism” and “extreme political activism” was an unfair characterization of its work.

The letter, dated Friday, alleged the Smithsonian ​may have violated anti-discrimination laws through diversity practices and asked ​Smithsonian leadership ⁠to meet with the Trump administration to address its criticism.

Trump has cracked down on diversity initiatives in the government and private sector and alleged such practices are discriminatory against white people and ⁠men. The ​crackdown has been condemned by civil rights advocates ​who say the initiatives address historic inequities for groups like ethnic minorities, the LGBT community and women.

blob:https://www.reuters.com/2a971501-cebd-46e0-a2bb-bc58858ee4b5

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-administration-threatens-cut-federal-agencies-support-smithsonian-2026-09-03/

The letter ​was reported earlier by the Atlantic.

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Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Edwina Gibbs

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab