The Trump administration is moving forward with a plan to install 12 temporary warning signs outside the National Museum of American History, costing $84,000. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum wrote to Senators Lisa Murkowski and Jeff Merkley, responding to President Trump’s 2025 executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The signs aim to alert visitors that the museum’s exhibits present “ideological viewpoints” such as non‑binary sex concepts and inclusion of transgender athletes, and they should help parents protect children. The administration also criticized Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, citing a 2000 essay on institutional “whiteness.” Museum director Anthea M. Hartig has contested the White House’s accusations of “radical activist ideology.” The language and timeline for the signs remain unspecified, but the project reflects a broader effort to reshape the narrative of U.S. history presented at the institution.

The letters, first reported by The Atlantic, detail the administration’s view that the museum has shifted from accurately telling America’s story to advancing “personal, radical ideologies.” They argue that visitors need information to evaluate whether to engage with the exhibits. While the signage plan is still in development, it underscores the ongoing tension between governmental oversight and museum autonomy.

Critics and supporters have weighed in, with conservative analyst Mike Gonzalez praising the transparency effort. The Smithsonian has not yet responded to the initiative, leaving the future of the signs and their messaging uncertain.