In yet another effort to resist President Trump’s demands for changes at the Smithsonian, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III defended the institution after a lengthy White House report criticized one of its museums for perceived bias.
The report was “not a fair characterization of the work and totality of the National Museum of American History,” Mr. Bunch wrote in a letter to his staff on Tuesday, insisting that “our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy, and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story.”
Mr. Bunch was responding to a report issued on the Fourth of July in which the White House accused the history museum of denigrating the nation’s heritage with “extreme political activism” and the Smithsonian generally of failing “its obligations to the American people.”
In his letter, reported earlier by The Washington Post, Mr. Bunch added that “we remain focused on what grounds us: a steadfast commitment to scholarship, nonpartisanship, independence, accuracy and integrity.”
Mr. Bunch has attempted to walk a fine line between trying not to antagonize Mr. Trump — who has called on the vice president and Congress to overhaul the Smithsonian — and holding fast to what he says is its mission to present a full account of American history that includes a frank assessment of the nation’s flaws.
Although the Trump administration forced the resignation of the National Portrait Gallery’s director last year, Mr. Bunch has so far managed to withstand the White House’s efforts to gain more control over the institution.
Mr. Bunch declined to comment. A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The White House’s 162-page report, issued by the Domestic Policy Council, was the latest salvo in the Trump administration’s campaign to pressure the Smithsonian into presenting what Mr. Trump has described as “patriotic” history. It argued that the National Museum of American History did not properly tell the story of the nation’s founders and overemphasized slavery, immigration and transgender issues.
The report also raised the specter of withdrawing funds from the Smithsonian. Some 62 percent of its annual $1 billion budget is derived from federal sources, including funds directly appropriated by Congress. The Trump administration proposed cutting the Smithsonian’s budget by about 12 percent in the 2026 fiscal year, but Congress has maintained the institution’s federal funding.
In a statement on Sunday, a spokeswoman for the Smithsonian, Julissa Marenco, said, “For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so.”
Though the Smithsonian has long been regarded as independent of the executive branch, Mr. Trump has sought greater influence over the institution, starting with an executive order issued in March 2025 titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”
The order described a “revisionist movement” across the country that “seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.”
In August, the White House said it would review current and planned exhibitions at eight of the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, including the National Museum of American History. It also published a list of exhibits and programming it considered objectionable.
Given the potentially significant turnover of the Smithsonian’s governing Board of Regents this fall, Mr. Bunch seemed to acknowledge in a recent interview that his days were likely numbered.
“I’m trying to be smart, but I’m never going to not be driven by scholarship,” he said at the time, adding, “This is not something to be afraid of, this is something where you stand firm to make sure that the integrity of this mission is protected.”
