White House publishes list of Smithsonian exhibits it calls objectionable, including transgender and LGBTQ+ content

OtherEOP

Date
Actor
Executive Office of the President (White House)
Agency
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
Type
Other
Section
SUPPLEMENT: ACTIONS MISSED BY EARLIER SWEEPS, JANUARY 2025 TO NOVEMBER 2026

Summary

On Aug. 21, 2025 the White House posted "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian," a roughly 20-item list of exhibits and artworks across several Smithsonian museums it objected to. LGBTQ+-related items included a painting of a transgender woman slated for a National Portrait Gallery show, the National Museum of American History's online LGBTQ+ history content, and an exhibition the memo said promoted trans athletes. It followed an Aug. 12 White House letter to the Smithsonian Secretary demanding a review of eight museums' content under EO 14253, with 30-day and 120-day deadlines.

Status

Review continued into 2026 (a Dec. 18, 2025 White House letter set a Jan. 13, 2026 records deadline; see catalogue S08-021 and EO 14416 entries).

As recorded in the data of . Check the sources for anything newer.

Sources