Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• White House sends letter to Smithsonian Institution directing cultural review — The Trump administration sent a letter to Dr. Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, informing him of an intent to review museum exhibitions, curatorial processes, planning, use of collections, and artist grants to ensure alignment "with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." The review will focus on eight museums including the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Hirshhorn Museum. The review is being led by Trump's Florida criminal defense attorney, who joined from property law and convinced Trump to sign an executive order placing her in charge after she objected to certain exhibits. Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget and key Project 2025 author, is also on the three-person team.
• Trump's Smithsonian review team wrote to Smithsonian secretary demanding alignment with presidential directive — On August 12, 2025, Trump's three-person Smithsonian review team, including Florida criminal defense attorney Lindsey Halligan and Russell Vought (director of the Office of Management and Budget), wrote to Dr. Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, informing him they intended to review museum exhibitions, curatorial processes, planning, use of collections, and artists' grants. The team stated they would ensure exhibitions align "with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions." The review targeted eight major Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Supporting reports

• Department of Defense bans books from Naval Academy — The Department of Defense ordered the removal of nearly 400 books from the U.S. Naval Academy library, targeting works related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Although some books have been returned, the action reflects a broader effort to control educational content in military institutions.
• Department of Defense bans DEI-related books and instruction — The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) instructed schools to remove books and cancel activities related to gender ideology and DEI. This directive, part of compliance with executive orders, has led to legal challenges from students claiming First Amendment violations.
• Departments of Veterans Affairs and State ban pride flags — The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Department of State have banned the display of pride flags and similar symbols in employees' private offices and consular posts. This action reflects the administration's stance against LGBTQ+ visibility in government spaces.

Supporting reports

• Pentagon memo alters military academy admissions criteria — On May 9, 2025, the Pentagon sent a memo to military training academies instructing them to disregard race, ethnicity, or sex in their admissions process, focusing solely on merit. However, the memo allows consideration for students with unique athletic talent. The academies are required to certify these standards by mid-June. This directive is part of a broader effort to eliminate DEI considerations within the military, as emphasized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's commitment to purging DEI from the Pentagon.
• Pentagon orders removal of DEI and gender ideology books — On May 9, 2025, the Pentagon issued a directive to military leaders to review and remove books related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology from their libraries. The memo instructed leaders to identify materials promoting divisive concepts incompatible with the department's mission, with a deadline of May 21 for removal. This action follows a similar order affecting military academies, resulting in the removal of nearly 400 books. The directive also impacts K-12 school libraries on military bases worldwide, with a list of banned books issued by the Department of Defense Education Activity.

Supporting reports

• Oklahoma Legislature Fails to Block Controversial Curriculum — The Oklahoma legislature had an opportunity to block the new social studies curriculum that includes debunked election fraud claims. A resolution filed by Adam Pugh, chairman of the Oklahoma Senate Education Committee, aimed to send the curriculum back for further review but did not receive a vote. This inaction allows the curriculum to proceed, raising concerns about the legislative oversight of educational content.
• Right-Wing Activists Influence Oklahoma Curriculum Committee — The committee responsible for reviewing Oklahoma's new social studies standards included several right-wing activists, deviating from the norm of involving educators and experts. Members included figures like Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation and Dennis Prager of PragerU. This composition has raised concerns about the ideological bias and lack of educational expertise in the curriculum development process.
• Deceptive Tactics Used to Pass Oklahoma Curriculum Changes — Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters used deceptive tactics to pass new social studies standards, including last-minute changes that were not adequately reviewed by the State Board of Education. Walters sent the updated standards to board members just hours before a meeting, preventing thorough examination. Despite requests for a delay, Walters pressured the board to vote immediately, citing a false legislative deadline. This process has been criticized for lacking transparency and integrity.
• Oklahoma Curriculum Increases Focus on Christianity — The new Oklahoma curriculum significantly increases the focus on Christianity, with mentions of the Bible rising from two to nearly 50. The curriculum emphasizes the influence of Christian values on American history while omitting the separation of church and state. This shift aligns with the views of Christian nationalist figures involved in crafting the curriculum, raising concerns about religious bias in public education.
• Oklahoma introduces new curriculum with pro-Trump conspiracy theories — Oklahoma has introduced a new educational curriculum that includes pro-Trump conspiracy theories, according to a report by Popular Information. The curriculum reportedly presents these theories as factual content, raising concerns about the objectivity and accuracy of educational materials provided to students. This development has sparked debate over the role of political ideology in education and the potential impact on students' understanding of history and current events.
• Oklahoma's New Curriculum Includes Debunked Election Claims — Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has introduced a new social studies curriculum that includes debunked claims about the 2020 election being fraudulent. This curriculum, set to be implemented in the 2025-26 school year, requires students to analyze supposed discrepancies in the 2020 election results, despite these claims being unsupported by evidence. The curriculum's inclusion of these conspiracy theories has sparked controversy and criticism from educational organizations for promoting misinformation.
• Oklahoma High Schools to Teach 2020 Election Discrepancies — The Popular Information newsletter reported that Oklahoma high schools will require students to "identify discrepancies in 2020 election results" as part of a new curriculum. This curriculum includes conspiracy theories about the election.

Supporting reports

• Trump issues executive order directing Smithsonian reshaping and ideological content removal — President Trump issued an executive order on March 27, 2025, directing Vice President JD Vance to remove what the administration deems "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution's museums, education centers, research facilities, and the National Zoo. The order specifically targets exhibits addressing race and American history, directs the American Women's History Museum to exclude transgender recognition, mandates appointment of new board members aligned with the order's policy, and instructs the Secretary of the Interior to restore Confederate-era statues and memorials removed in the past five years. The order frames these actions as correcting a "concerted and widespread" effort to rewrite U.S. history.
• Trump issued executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" directing federal historic sites to align with administration ideology — On March 27, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," asserting that the nation's history had been rewritten by ideology rather than fact. The order directed the Secretary of the Interior to review federal monuments, memorials, and statues removed or altered since January 1, 2020, and restore them to ensure they do not "inappropriately disparage Americans" and instead focus on "the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people." The order also targeted the Smithsonian Institution, directing a three-person review team to examine museum exhibitions and ensure they align with the president's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism and remove divisive narratives.
• Trump executive order targets DEI programs at federal cultural institutions — An executive order issued on March 27, 2025, directs federal action against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, with specific targeting of the African American History Museum and the Kennedy Center. The order aims to eliminate or redirect DEI-related funding and operations at these institutions.
• Trump signed executive order directing removal of exhibits and narratives from federal historical sites and museums — President Trump signed Executive Order 14253 on March 27, 2025, directing federal agencies to remove what the order characterizes as "ideological" content from the Smithsonian Institution, Independence National Historical Park, and other Interior Department historical sites. The order instructs the Vice President to work through his Smithsonian Board seat to "remove improper ideology" from exhibits and programs; directs the Secretary of the Interior to reinstate pre-2020 monuments and ensure descriptions do not "inappropriately disparage Americans"; and mandates that future congressional appropriations to the Smithsonian prohibit exhibits that "divide Americans based on race" or conflict with federal policy. The order names specific current exhibits as examples of objectionable content.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14253 directing removal of exhibits and narratives from federal museums and historical sites deemed ideologically divisive, with authority delegated to the Vice President over the Smithsonian Institution. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14253 on March 27, 2025, directing federal agencies to remove exhibits, programs, and historical narratives from museums and monuments that the order characterizes as "divisive" or promoting "ideology" rather than "objective facts." The order specifically targets the Smithsonian Institution, directing the Vice President to work through his role on the Smithsonian Board of Regents to remove what the order calls "improper ideology." It instructs the Secretary of the Interior to audit and reinstate pre-2020 monuments and ensure all federal historical sites focus on "greatness" and "achievements" rather than narratives the order deems disparaging. Future appropriations are to be conditioned on prohibiting exhibits that "divide Americans based on race" or are "inconsistent with Federal law and policy."
• Trump issues executive order directing federal agencies to remove "ideological" content from Smithsonian Institution and federal historical sites — President Trump signed an executive order on March 27, 2025, directing the Vice President, OMB Director, and Secretary of the Interior to remove what the order characterizes as "divisive, race-centered ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution, Independence National Historical Park, and other federal historical sites. The order mandates restoration of pre-2020 monuments and memorials, prohibits future federal funding for exhibits deemed to "degrade shared American values" or "divide Americans based on race," and requires the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum to exclude recognition of transgender athletes. The order frames this as restoring "truth" and "sanity" to American history.
• White House issued fact sheet promoting executive order on Smithsonian and federal historical sites — The White House published a fact sheet on March 27, 2025, describing an executive order signed by President Trump directing the Vice President to eliminate what the order characterizes as "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution and its museums. The order directs the Secretary of the Interior to restore federal parks, monuments, and memorials altered in the prior five years, and instructs Congress to condition future Smithsonian appropriations on prohibiting exhibits that "degrade shared American values" or "divide Americans by race." The fact sheet asserts that prior administrations promoted "divisive ideology" and cites specific Smithsonian exhibits as examples.
• Trump administration issues executive order targeting Smithsonian Institution exhibits on race and American history — On Thursday, March 28, 2025, the Trump administration announced an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" that orders a large reshaping of the Smithsonian Institution to eliminate what Trump described as "improper, divisive or anti-American ideology." The order specifically criticized the Smithsonian American Art Museum's exhibit "The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture" and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Vice President JD Vance was ordered to "remove improper ideology" from Smithsonian museums and educational centers. Artists, academics, and civil rights figures have condemned the order as an attempt to censor and erase Black history and diverse perspectives from public institutions.
• Trump signs executive order on American history curriculum — Trump signed an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" directing Vice President J.D. Vance, in his capacity as a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, to work to eliminate "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution, its museums, education and research centers, and the National Zoo. The order represents an attempt to reshape how Americans understand and learn their history.
• Trump signs executive order suspending security clearances for law firms representing Democratic clients — Trump signed executive orders suspending security clearances for law firms that represent Democratic clients and barring the federal government from hiring employees from those firms. The orders target legal representation based on client political affiliation, creating a mechanism to exclude attorneys from federal employment based on their professional representation.
• Trump administration challenges judges and undermines judicial credibility — The Trump administration has challenged judges who have ruled against Trump and worked to destroy public faith in the courts. The effort represents a systematic campaign to delegitimize judicial authority when it conflicts with administration preferences.

Supporting reports

• Federal government issued list of banned words for government websites and school curricula — The federal government issued a list of over 200 words designated to be limited, avoided, or removed from government websites and school curricula. The banned words include "racism," "women," "BIPOC," "Black," and others. The directive represents systematic censorship of language related to diversity, equity, and civil rights from public institutions.

Supporting reports

• Air Force removes DEI-related training videos — The Air Force removed training courses featuring videos of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots to comply with an executive order eliminating DEI initiatives. The decision has been criticized for erasing important historical content and undermining diversity efforts within the military.
• Deletion of Military History Content from Websites — Reports indicate that at least ten articles about the Code Talkers and other minority veterans have been removed from U.S. military websites, with broken URLs now labeled “DEI.” This includes content about Black veterans and women who served in the military. The Department of Defense has faced public outcry over these deletions, leading to the restoration of some content. The erasure of this history is seen as an attempt to elevate white men as the sole actors in military history.