As lawmakers clashed with a top Smithsonian official at a Tuesday hearing, they ping-ponged between small details — like items sold in the gift shop — and the loftiest American ideals.
Republicans accused Anthea M. Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, of trying to “rewrite” the country’s past with a version focused more on pain and complexity than triumph.
The debate mirrored larger political messaging wars as President Donald Trump tries to influence cultural institutions. It comes after a White House report singled out the history museum earlier this month, accusing it of “ideological capture.”
Hartig spent much of her time pushing back against the report and defending the museum’s work.
“As we continue to fact-check the report, we unwaveringly attest that it does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum. There is always room for improvement, but I also know the beauty and the inspiration and the expertise that lies in our collections,” she said.
