Trump’s Unlikely Strategy to Control History: Footnotes
The White House is threatening $190 million in Smithsonian funding.
TL;DR
- The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is using obscure funding footnotes to influence the Smithsonian's historical narratives.
- Nearly $190 million in Smithsonian funding is conditioned on compliance with Trump's executive order accusing the institution of "divisive narratives."
- These footnotes are legally binding under the Antideficiency Act and can carry criminal penalties.
- This behind-the-scenes tactic is part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to challenge the Smithsonian's presentation of American history.
- The strategy raises concerns about political influence over a historically independent institution, particularly during a period of leadership transitions and vacancies.
- Experts describe the use of these footnotes as unusual and an affront to the rule of law and the constitutional order.
- Similar footnote tactics have been used against other federal entities, with mixed legal outcomes.