The Smithsonian’s Show Trial on Capitol Hill
The director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Anthea Hartig, testified before a House Republican subcommittee regarding accusations of political activism. The hearings are part of a broader effort by Donald Trump and his allies to challenge the narrative presented by national cultural institutions.
Why it matters
The event underscores the ongoing culture war in the U.S. over how history is curated and taught in public institutions, with significant implications for academic and institutional independence.
Republicans grilled a museum head, intensifying Donald Trump’s campaign to reshape the American story.
Jacquelyn Martin / AP July 22, 2026, 8:27 PM ET Share Save The nation’s most scrutinized museum director showed up to Congress this week acutely aware of her audience. Anthea Hartig, the head of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, referred to the institution as “your” museum. She emphatically affirmed her love of this country. She even cited her family’s Revolutionary War roots. Hartig had been called to testify at two hearings that House Republicans organized in response to a 162-page White House report accusing the American-history museum of “extreme political activism.” But her opening remarks, in which she also asserted that the report “does not fairly characterize the full body of work of this museum,” didn’t ward off a patriotism sniff test.
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