Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump calls for renaming New Mexico to "New America" — President Trump posted on social media calling for New Mexico to be renamed "New America," citing the state's name as having problematic connotations. The proposal drew widespread outrage from New Mexican residents, particularly Latinos and Native Americans, who viewed it as an attack on their state's identity and history. Some Republicans dismissed it as satire. The call came 10 days after the Trump administration sued New Mexico over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrant students, intensifying perceptions of targeting communities of color.

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• Trump signs executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America — President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" on US maps, documents, and databases. The order follows a similar action renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on his second term's first day. Trump lacks authority to rename Canada's portion of the lake or compel international adoption of the name. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the move, citing the lake's Indigenous Wendat origin and historical precedence. Several US governors in the Great Lakes region also dismissed the renaming.
• Trump signs executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America — Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office designating Lake Ontario as "Lake America," effective immediately. He stated the administration is "changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America" and suggested potentially renaming the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Trump also suggested canceling subscriptions to media companies that refer to the lake by its original name, with an exception for Fox News.
• Trump issues executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America — President Donald Trump issued an executive order on August 27, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" within 30 days. The order asserts that the United States is the "greatest protector" of the Great Lakes, citing U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaking operations and $4 billion in ecosystem investments. The Secretary must coordinate with the Board on Geographic Names to update all federal references, maps, contracts, and the Geographic Names Information System to reflect the new name.
• Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America — The White House published this executive order on 2026-08-27 through its executive-orders channel.
• Trump signed executive order renaming Lake Ontario — On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order directing the federal government to refer to Lake Ontario as "Lake America." The change applies only to the U.S. federal geographic naming system; Trump cannot force Canada to use the name, as the United States and Canada share the lake. The action occurred during an escalating trade dispute in which the United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian goods and Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs. Trump displayed a map with "LAKE AMERICA" printed across the lake and floated the possibility of renaming an ocean, suggesting the Atlantic or Pacific could be next. The original name derives from the Huron word "oniatarí:io," meaning "lake of shining waters."
• Trump signed executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America — Trump signed an executive order directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" in all official U.S. government documents, communications, and the Geographic Names Information System. Trump framed the action as part of a broader effort to rename geographic features, referencing his earlier change of the Gulf of Mexico's name and suggesting future changes to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The order appears designed to assert U.S. dominance over shared geography and pressure Canada.
• Trump signed executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" during trade war — President Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" amid an ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada. The action appears to be a symbolic gesture during heightened trade tensions with Canada, which shares sovereignty over the Great Lake.

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• Trump administration issues executive order targeting Smithsonian Institution — The Trump administration has escalated its conflict with the Smithsonian Institution, resulting in a report accusing the National Museum of American History of "extreme political activism" and an executive order mandating warning signs outside the museum. Popular Information's investigation identified the influence of David Barton, a figure described as a fake historian, and his son Tim on the administration's anti-Smithsonian campaign.

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• Congressional Hearings on Smithsonian Report — On July 21 and 22, 2026, Dr. Anthea M. Hartig testified before the House Delivering on Government Efficiency Subcommittee and the House Administration Committee regarding the White House report on the National Museum of American History. During the hearings, Hartig defended the museum's work against accusations of political bias and misrepresentation of American history.
• House Administration Committee member coordinates with Christian nationalist figures on hearing strategy — Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), a member of the House Committee on Administration, coordinated with David and Tim Barton—founders of the Christian nationalist organization WallBuilders—on questions to pose during a July 2026 hearing about the Smithsonian. Tim Barton stated on a podcast that committee members had called the Bartons for advice, and Loudermilk confirmed on a separate podcast that he had spoken with the Bartons on the day of the hearing. Loudermilk also stated he was working with the White House to stack the Smithsonian's Board of Regents with conservatives.
• House subcommittee questions Smithsonian National Museum of American History director on ideological bias — Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, was questioned by a House subcommittee in late July 2026, during which Republican members accused the Smithsonian of being "infected by a woke ideology." Hartig testified that examining difficult chapters of American history is not hostility toward America and that the museum honors founding documents while telling the truth about times the country fell short of its ideals. The hearing was part of the Trump administration's broader campaign against the institution.

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• Trump administration proposes triumphal arch at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery — The Trump administration is pursuing construction of a triumphal arch at Memorial Circle near Arlington National Cemetery. Congressional ranking members from both chambers with jurisdiction over monuments in Washington, D.C., have opposed the project, stating it would "deface one of the most deliberate and historic sightlines in America" and would violate at least three federal laws. The Section 106 review process for the project fell short of legal requirements, including a comment period of only ten days. Revisions to Section 106 would eliminate legal obstacles to the project's construction.
• Lawmakers Oppose Proposed Triumph Arch Project Near Arlington National Cemetery — On June 15, 2026, a group of lawmakers, including Senators Angus King and Martin Heinrich, expressed strong opposition to a proposed triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery, citing concerns that the project violates multiple laws and lacks adequate public comment time. They warned that officials proceeding with the project could face legal consequences.

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• Trump administration releases executive order directing warning signs at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History — President Trump released an executive order on July 25, 2026, directing federal officials to install signs outside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History informing visitors that the museum presents history inaccurately. The order cites a 162-page White House report released July 4 that accuses the museum of "extreme political activism," "anti-White activism," "transgender activism," and supporting illegal immigration. The signs are to direct visitors to "locations and resources for accurate information regarding America's history" without specifying where those resources are located.
• Executive Order on Smithsonian Institution — On July 24, 2026, President Trump issued Executive Order 14415, titled "Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution." The order directed the National Park Service to place temporary signage outside the Smithsonian to correct what the administration deemed inaccurate information presented inside the museum. This action follows the release of a critical report on the museum's portrayal of American history.

Supporting reports

• Trump orders Interior Department to display signs outside Smithsonian Museum of American History — President Trump issued an order directing Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to coordinate with the National Park Service and White House domestic policy staff to install temporary signs outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The signs are to notify visitors that museum exhibits require renovation and direct them to alternative sources for American history information. A separate directive requires signs criticizing the museum's commemoration of the Declaration of Independence during its 250th anniversary. The order follows Trump's broader campaign against the Smithsonian, which he accuses of politicizing history by emphasizing American injustices rather than triumphant moments.
• Trump signs executive order directing federal agencies to install signage at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History warning visitors of alleged "ideological capture" and mandating exhibit corrections. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14416 on July 24, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Domestic Policy Assistant to use all available authorities to "restore trust" in the Smithsonian Institution. The order mandates installation of temporary signage on National Park Service–maintained sidewalks and walkways warning visitors that Museum exhibits reflect "ideological capture" and directing them to alternative sources for "accurate" American history. The order also requires temporary exhibits or signage correcting what the administration deems inaccurate information, citing the Museum's alleged failure to honor the Declaration of Independence signers during the 250th anniversary year.
• Trump issues executive order directing federal agencies to "restore trust" in Smithsonian Institution and install signage criticizing its exhibits — President Trump issued Executive Order 14254 on July 24, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Domestic Policy Assistant to use all available authorities to address findings in a Domestic Policy Council report alleging "ideological capture" at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The order mandates installation of temporary signage on National Park Service-maintained walkways warning visitors of alleged bias in museum exhibits and directing them to alternative historical resources. The order frames the Smithsonian's approach to American history as advancing "social justice" rather than presenting history as "shared national inheritance."
• Trump signed executive order directing federal agencies to install signage at Smithsonian museum warning of "ideological capture" — President Trump signed Executive Order 14416 on July 24, 2026, directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Domestic Policy Assistant to use all available authorities to "restore trust" in the Smithsonian Institution and its National Museum of American History. The order mandates installation of temporary signage on National Park Service-maintained walkways informing visitors of findings from a Domestic Policy Council report titled "Saving America's Story," which claims the museum presents American history as a tool for "social justice" rather than as "shared national inheritance." The order also directs installation of corrective exhibits or signage on NPS land.
• White House issued fact sheet promoting executive order on Smithsonian Institution governance — The White House published a fact sheet on July 24, 2026, describing an executive order signed by President Trump directing the Secretary of the Interior, OMB Director, GSA Administrator, and Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to "restore trust" in the Smithsonian Institution. The order directs installation of temporary signage and exhibits correcting what the administration characterizes as "inaccurate information" in the National Museum of American History. The fact sheet claims the Smithsonian has been captured by "extreme political activism, rooted in Marxism" and asserts the order aims to restore "truth" to the nation's historical narrative.
• White House issues "What They Are Saying" compilation on Ratepayer Protection Pledge expansion — The White House published a compilation of statements from utility executives, state governors, federal officials, and industry groups endorsing an expansion of the administration's Ratepayer Protection Pledge announced at EPA Headquarters on July 24, 2026. The pledge commits signatories to ensure that data center and AI infrastructure costs do not increase electricity rates for existing residential and business customers. The document presents no new policy instrument but aggregates third-party endorsements of the pledge previously announced.

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• White House releases 162-page report attacking Smithsonian Institution's historical interpretation — The White House Domestic Policy Council released a 162-page report on July 4, 2026, arguing that the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of American History "cannot be trusted to tell America's story honestly." The report criticizes the museum for "extreme political activism," "anti-White activism," "transgender activism," and supporting illegal immigration. It accuses the museum of presenting slavery too negatively and failing to adequately credit Christian moral philosophy in the founding. The report recommends exhibits be altered to reflect its findings.

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• Federal grant funded "Freedom Trucks" with sanitized history exhibits — Six traveling "Freedom Trucks" fanned out for the 250th anniversary with exhibits created by conservative groups including Hillsdale College and PragerU, featuring AI-generated historical figures and messaging that rights are a "gift from God." The trucks received a $14 million federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services paired with $10 million from Freedom 250. The exhibits omit slavery, Native removal, labor history, and civil rights, presenting a narrow, sanitized version of American history using public funds.

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• US appeals court rules Trump administration need not reinstate removed climate, immigration, and slavery materials from national parks — A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled Thursday that the Trump administration does not have to reinstate materials related to climate change, immigration, and slavery that it removed from national parks. The decision reversed a June district court order requiring reinstatement within 21 days. The appeals court found the advocacy groups challenging the removals had not demonstrated "irreparable harm" or specific evidence linking the removals to reputational or membership damage, despite the lower court's finding that the administration's actions set "a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization."

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• US appeals court rules Trump administration need not reinstate removed climate, immigration, and slavery materials from national parks — A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled Thursday that the Trump administration does not have to reinstate materials related to climate change, immigration, and slavery that it removed from national parks. The decision reversed a June district court order requiring reinstatement within 21 days. The appeals court found the advocacy groups challenging the removals had not demonstrated "irreparable harm" or specific evidence linking the removals to reputational or membership damage, despite the lower court's finding that the administration's actions set "a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization."

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• Federal judge orders Trump administration to restore removed national park historical displays — US District Judge Angel Kelley ruled that the Trump administration must reinstate history and science materials removed from national monuments and parks pursuant to a March 2025 executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." The order had directed removal of exhibits referencing slavery, civil rights, Indigenous history, and climate change, which Kelley found constituted "censorship and sanitization" and told "half-truths." The administration was given 21 days to comply.
• Federal judge struck down Trump administration's removal of slavery and civil rights history from national parks — Federal Judge Angel Kelley in Massachusetts issued a ruling Friday striking down the Trump administration's effort to remove historical markers from national parks under the March 2025 "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History" executive order. The order had directed the Interior Department to remove content deemed to "inappropriately disparage" Americans, resulting in park rangers being ordered to discard educational materials about slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, harm to Indigenous people, and climate change. Targeted items included an 1863 image of enslaved man Peter Gordon at Fort Pulaski National Park, an exhibit about enslaved people at George Washington's home, Indigenous history displays at Golden Gate National Park, and a climate change marker at Fort Sumter. Judge Kelley ruled the government's stewardship of park sites "carries a responsibility to present history in full rather than in favored fragments." The Trump administration announced it will appeal.

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• Trump requests congressional resolution to symbolically expunge his two impeachments — President Trump is pressing Congress to pass a resolution that would symbolically nullify his two impeachments from his first term—one in 2019 over abuse of power regarding Ukraine, the second in 2021 following the January 6 Capitol attack. Constitutional scholars note the Constitution contains no mechanism to reverse an impeachment, making any resolution largely a political statement. Democrats argue the effort will only resurrect the original allegations during the midterm election cycle.
• Trump seeks to expunge impeachments — The Wall Street Journal reported on June 11 that Trump and his allies have discussed urging Republican lawmakers to pass a resolution "expunging" Trump's two first-term impeachments. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the move a "priority," though it would be purely symbolic with no legal weight. A measure is unlikely to be considered until after the midterm elections.

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• New York Times investigation reveals decades of sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez — The New York Times published an investigation on 18 March detailing allegations that labor leader Cesar Chavez sexually abused women and girls, including co-founder Dolores Huerta, from the 1960s to the 1980s. The investigation prompted swift action by elected officials in California, Texas, and Arizona to remove Chavez's name from public spaces, streets, schools, and state holidays. Historians and Latino leaders are reassessing Chavez's legacy and the risks of centering social movements around single figures.
• New York Times investigation reveals sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez — The New York Times published an investigation on March 19, 2026, documenting allegations that the late United Farm Workers co-founder Cesar Chavez groomed and sexually abused girls within the movement for years. The report prompted multiple state governments, labor organizations, and community groups to cancel or rebrand Cesar Chavez Day celebrations scheduled for March 31. Arizona became the first state to officially discontinue observance of the holiday, and California's governor indicated openness to renaming it. The UFW, LUPE, and other organizations called the allegations "indefensible" and "disturbing."

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• Trump administration executive order directs alteration of federal historical materials — In an executive order issued in March 2025, Trump accused the Biden administration of promoting "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" and instructed the Interior Secretary to alter materials under the department's control that "have been improperly removed or changed in the last five years to perpetuate a false revision of history or improperly minimize or disparage certain historical figures or events." The order has already resulted in changes to Smithsonian Institution displays, including removal of text discussing Trump's impeachment and role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack from the National Portrait Gallery.
• National Park Service dismantles slavery-related exhibit at President's House site in Philadelphia — The National Park Service, under the Trump administration, removed informational displays about enslaved people from the President's House site in Independence National Historical Park, which was the former residence of George Washington and John Adams. The exhibit, established in 2010 following a 2006 city-agency agreement and a 2003 Congressional directive, included panels recognizing people enslaved by Washington and a chronology of U.S. slavery. Philadelphia filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday against the Department of Interior, Secretary Doug Burgum, the NPS, and Acting Director Jessica Bowron, seeking restoration of the exhibits.

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• Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery removed text from Trump's portrait referencing impeachments and 2020 election loss — Under pressure from the White House, the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery removed text accompanying Trump's portrait that referred to his two impeachments and his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. The removal occurred in January 2026 and represented institutional capitulation to executive pressure to alter the historical record.

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• Trump called January 6 rioters patriotic protesters — On the fifth anniversary of the January 6 attack, the Trump administration blamed the police officers themselves for starting the insurrection and called the rioters "patriotic protesters." In response, retiring Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) called the January 6 rioters "thousands of thugs."
• Trump White House rewrote history of January 6, 2021 Capitol attack — On January 6, 2026, the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, Trump's White House rewrote the historical record of the insurrection, claiming that the rioters were "peaceful patriotic protesters" and blaming Democrats for the attack. This directly contradicted the documented facts of the violent assault on the Capitol by Trump supporters attempting to prevent the lawful transfer of power.
• White House unveiled website blaming Democrats for January 6 attack and claiming Trump "corrected a historic wrong" by pardoning rioters — On January 6, 2026, the fifth anniversary of the Capitol attack, the White House unveiled a new website blaming the Democrats for the attack and stating that Trump had "corrected a historic wrong" by pardoning the rioters. The website represented an official rewriting of the January 6 insurrection narrative to absolve the rioters and assign blame to the opposing party.
• White House website rewrites January 6, 2021 Capitol attack history — The official White House website reversed the historical record of the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, characterizing the insurrectionists who beat and wounded at least 140 police officers and called for Vice President Mike Pence's hanging as "peaceful patriotic protesters." The site claimed Democrats staged "the real insurrection" by certifying the 2020 election results.

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• White House added partisan descriptions of previous presidents to Presidential Walk of Fame — In mid-December 2025, the White House revealed that Trump had attached partisan descriptions of previous presidents on the "Presidential Walk of Fame" at the White House. The descriptions called Democratic president Barack Obama "one of the most divisive figures in American History" and Joe Biden "by far, the worst President in American History," claiming Biden took office "as a result of the most corrupt Election ever seen in the United States" and "oversaw a series of unprecedented disasters that brought our Nation to the brink of destruction." Trump described himself as the architect of "the Greatest Economy in the History of the World."
• Trump installs partisan plaques on White House presidential portraits — White House officials installed new plaques beneath presidential portraits in the "Presidential Walk of Fame" featuring Trump's personal assessments of former presidents. Biden's plaque calls him "by far, the worst President in American History" and falsely claims his election was "the most corrupt Election ever seen." Obama is branded "one of the most divisive political figures." Clinton's accomplishments are minimized and his wife's 2016 loss to Trump is highlighted. Reagan receives praise. Biden's portrait was replaced with an image of an autopen. The plaques adopt opinionated language resembling Trump's Truth Social posts rather than neutral historical summaries.
• White House installed plaques mocking former presidents Obama and Biden in presidential portrait hall — The White House installed plaques beneath portraits of former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the hall of presidential portraits. The plaque under Obama's portrait describes him as "one of the most divisive political figures in American History" who "passed the highly ineffective 'Unaffordable' Care Act." The plaque under an autopen replacing Biden's portrait states: "Sleepy Joe Biden was, by far, the worst President in American History. Taking office as a result of the most corrupt Election ever seen in the United States, Biden oversaw a series of unprecedented disasters that brought our Nation to the brink of destruction."
• White House installs plaques criticizing former presidents — The White House installed plaques criticizing former presidents under Trump's new "Presidential Walk of Fame." Joe Biden's plaque reads that he was "by far, the worst President," and Barack Obama's reads, "One of the most divisive political figures in American History," and blamed him for creating the "Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax."
• Senator Murkowski criticized Trump's presidential plaques as inappropriate — Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told NBC that the plaques are inappropriate, stating that the individuals featured were elected presidents of the country and that Trump should not attempt to redefine their contributions or lack thereof. She expressed concern that the plaques represent an improper use of the presidential residence to attack predecessors.
• Trump installed plaques attacking former presidents in White House — The Trump administration installed plaques featuring biographical write-ups of former presidents along the West Wing colonnade as part of Trump's "Walk of Fame." The plaques for Trump's Democratic opponents read like Truth Social attacks, with harsh language and emphasis capitalization. Biden's plaque calls him "by far, the worst President in American history" and features an autopen signature instead of Biden's actual signature. Obama's plaque refers to him as "Barack Hussein Obama" and calls him "one of the most divisive political figures in American History," attacking his healthcare and foreign policy. Clinton's plaque ends by noting his wife lost the 2016 presidency to Trump. Jackson's plaque compares Trump's treatment by the press to Jackson's and Lincoln's.

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• Trump Declares Columbus Day a Celebration of “Original American Hero” — President Trump declared Columbus Day a celebration of the "original American hero," a move seen as an attempt to inflame cultural divisions rather than address pressing governance issues.
• Trump installs Christopher Columbus statue on White House grounds — President Trump had a 13-foot, one-ton statue of Christopher Columbus installed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds on October 13, 2025. The statue was reconstructed from pieces of an original monument torn down and dumped into Baltimore's inner harbor by protesters in 2020. Trump framed Columbus as "the original American hero" and pledged to ensure he was "honored as such for generations to come," positioning the installation as a counter to recent efforts by some jurisdictions to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day recognition.

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• Trump proclaims October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day with rhetoric defending Columbus against "left-wing" criticism. — President Trump issued Proclamation 10980 on October 9, 2025, officially designating October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. The proclamation characterizes Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization," and explicitly frames the observance as a defense against what the proclamation calls "left-wing radicals" who have "toppled his statues" and "vandalized his monuments." The proclamation invokes statutory authority (36 U.S.C. 107) and directs display of the U.S. flag on public buildings and "appropriate ceremonies and activities" in Columbus's honor.
• Trump issued Columbus Day proclamation presenting white Christian nationalist historical narrative — On October 9, President Trump's office issued an official proclamation declaring October 13 Columbus Day, presenting Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization." The proclamation emphasizes Christianity, claiming Columbus was guided by a "noble mission" to "spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and that he "planted a majestic cross" dedicating the land to God. It frames modern historical scholarship on Columbus's role in Indigenous decimation as "left-wing arson" seeking to "erase our history" and "attack our heritage," asserting that "every citizen is eternally indebted to his relentless determination."
• White House issued Columbus Day proclamation — The White House issued a proclamation on October 9, 2025, designating October 13, 2025, as Columbus Day. The proclamation characterizes Columbus as "the original American hero" and "a giant of Western civilization," frames recent efforts to remove Columbus statues and monuments as a "vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history," and states that "under my leadership, those days are finally over." The proclamation directs that the U.S. flag be displayed on all public buildings on Columbus Day.

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• Oklahoma superintendent Ryan Walters resigns to lead conservative education non-profit — Ryan Walters, superintendent of Oklahoma public schools since 2022, announced his resignation on Fox News to become leader of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a conservative education non-profit. Walters had pursued a Christian nationalist agenda in Oklahoma schools, including placing Trump-endorsed Bibles in classrooms, requiring teaching of 2020 election conspiracy theories, and attempting to inject Christian viewpoints into public education while opposing teachers unions. He stated his intention to expand this fight nationally.
• Defense Secretary Hegseth orders approximately 800 top military generals and admirals to Quantico for unusual meeting — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered approximately 800 of the military's top generals and admirals, along with their senior enlisted advisors, to gather at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia the following week. The demand is highly unusual; no official explanation was provided for the meeting. Military experts noted the cost in flights and accommodations would be millions of dollars and the lost focus would affect military readiness, while the sudden global recall signals potential instability to adversaries and allies. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance downplayed the meeting when questioned by reporters.
• Trump threatened political violence in response to ICE facility shooting — During remarks, Trump stated: "Bad things happen when they play these games. I'll give you a little clue, the right is a lot tougher than the left. And they better not get them energized because it won't be good for the left," in reference to a shooting at an ICE facility in Texas. House Homeland Security Democrats responded that Trump was "openly threatening political violence."
• Defense Secretary Hegseth affirmed Medal of Honor awards to soldiers involved in 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that twenty men awarded the Medal of Honor for their participation in the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre would retain their medals, reversing the review initiated by his predecessor General Lloyd Austin. Austin had ordered the review to ensure awardees were not recognized for conduct inconsistent with the nation's highest military honor. Hegseth called the soldiers "brave soldiers" and stated they deserved the medals, effectively closing the review process.
• Secretary of Defense Hegseth announces decision to allow Wounded Knee soldiers to retain their medals — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth released a video announcing that soldiers who fought at the Battle of Wounded Knee will be permitted to keep their medals, declaring the decision final and their place in history settled. The Atlantic's James Surowiecki noted that the U.S. awarded 20 Medals of Honor to cavalrymen who killed hundreds of Lakota people, mostly women and children, at Wounded Knee—twice as many as the 10 awarded to troops who fought at Normandy on D-Day.
• Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth summons hundreds of senior military officers to Washington for speech on military standards — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of generals and admirals stationed worldwide to travel to Washington on short notice to hear him deliver a speech on military standards and "warrior ethos." A source described the gathering as an "eyeball-to-eyeball" conversation where Hegseth wanted to see the generals in person. The Washington Post reported the unusual summons of senior military leadership.

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• House Republicans establish new subcommittee to reinvestigate January 6 attack — House Republicans voted along party lines to establish a new Republican-led subcommittee to reinvestigate the January 6 Capitol attack. The subcommittee, chaired by Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, will have eight members appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson and up to three appointed in consultation with Democratic leadership. The panel is authorized to conduct a full investigation and issue a final report by December 31, 2026. Democrats have criticized the move as an attempt to rewrite the narrative and exonerate Trump.

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• Trump criticized Smithsonian Institution's slavery exhibits — President Trump stated that the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex located mostly in Washington, D.C., focuses too much on "how bad slavery was." The criticism prompted public controversy and was characterized as part of a broader effort to reshape how American history, particularly regarding racial injustice, is presented and remembered in public institutions.
• Trump directs attorneys to review Smithsonian museums for "out of control" content — On Truth Social, Trump claimed that the Smithsonian is "OUT OF CONTROL," and complained that their museums focus too much on "how bad Slavery was," along with "how horrible our Country is." He noted that he's directed his attorneys to "go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made."

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• Trump administration ordered Smithsonian review for "American exceptionalism" — The Trump administration ordered a comprehensive review of exhibits and materials at the Smithsonian Institution 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." Trump later stated the museums should discuss history "in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner," falsely claiming they currently do so.
• Trump criticized Smithsonian Institution's slavery exhibits — President Trump stated that the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex located mostly in Washington, D.C., focuses too much on "how bad slavery was." The criticism prompted public controversy and was characterized as part of a broader effort to reshape how American history, particularly regarding racial injustice, is presented and remembered in public institutions.
• Trump directs attorneys to review Smithsonian museums for "out of control" content — On Truth Social, Trump claimed that the Smithsonian is "OUT OF CONTROL," and complained that their museums focus too much on "how bad Slavery was," along with "how horrible our Country is." He noted that he's directed his attorneys to "go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made."
• Trump administration escalates attacks on Washington DC institutions and federal workforce — The article references Trump's escalated attacks on Washington DC, the Smithsonian museums, immigrants, elections, institutions of higher learning, and culture. It also notes his foreign policy as "clearly now dictated by Putin." The piece frames these actions as part of an "authoritarian breakthrough" while calling for continued democratic resistance and action.
• White House issues release criticizing Smithsonian Institution exhibitions and programming — The White House published a release titled "President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian" cataloging and criticizing specific exhibitions, displays, and programming across multiple Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Portrait Gallery, American History Museum, National Museum of African Art, National Museum of the American Latino, and Museum of American Art. The release characterizes these exhibitions as promoting "woke" ideology, critical race theory, and progressive political messaging. No direct executive action or policy directive is stated in the document itself.

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• 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.