The official White House newsletter has posted an article titled "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian." It calls out some of the institution's artwork, exhibitions, programs and online articles that focus on race, slavery, immigration and sexuality. That includes works at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, The National Portrait Gallery, and The National Museum of the American Latino.
The list of objectionable content comes a week after White House officials sent a letter asking eight of the Smithsonian's museums to submit their current and future plans for exhibitions, social media content and other material. The institution's director, Lonnie Bunch, was told it had 120 days to comply for what the administration says will be a "comprehensive review" in order to bring the Smithsonian in line with Trump's cultural directives ahead of the country's 250th anniversary celebrations.
The administration has directed the museums to replace "divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions."
NPR reached out to the White House asking for comment about the article highlighting the Smithsonian artists. They have not responded.
The list of artists and content seems to be drawn from art that was highlighted in a recent article in The Federalist. The conservative online magazine argued that the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, for example, was filled with "wall-to-wall, anti-American propaganda."
The Smithsonian's press office declined NPR's offer to comment on the White House list. In June, it sent out a statement saying the institution is committed to remaining "free from political or partisan influence."
While some of the artists and scholars NPR spoke to said they fear being further targeted, others said that being called out by the White House is a "badge of honor." Some referenced other times, in the U.S. and around the world, when art provoked a strong political response; and some said they fear that Trump's call for "anti-woke" art will have a chilling effect on artists, museums and galleries.
Hugo Crosthwaite
In 2022, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery commissioned artist Hugo Crosthwaite to create a study of Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to President Biden.
Crosthwaite animated 19 drawings he made, depicting Fauci dealing with the HIV/AIDS crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Dr. Fauci didn't want the idea of a painting of him with a big shield fighting a virus or something like that. He didn't even like the idea of a portrait of himself," says Crosthwaite. "But I thought I could do this stop-motion animation that basically tells the narrative of his 50-year career."
The animated Fauci portrait remains on the National Portrait Gallery's website and on YouTube. Crossthwaite reckons that the White House singled it out because it depicts someone who promoted the technology and creation of vaccines — a once apolitical issue that has become increasingly partisan.
"It seems like they just came up with the idea, 'oh, this is about Fauci. So then we hate it now,'" he says. "And they probably haven't even seen it."
Still, Crosthwaite says the attention he and the other artists are getting now isn't all negative.
"I was kind of honored to be included in the list of great art pieces celebrating diversity," says Crosthwaite, who was born in Tijuana and lives in San Diego. "They're trying to censor artwork. But I always feel that it always kind of backfires; it usually draws more attention to it, which I think is wonderful."