Two senators pressed the Trump administration for detailed explanations regarding a proposal to install warning signs outside the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

In a letter sent this week, Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, and Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, questioned Interior Secretary Doug Burgum over the directive, which stems from a recent executive order from President Donald Trump targeting the museum's exhibits.

Murkowski, who serves as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, and Merkley, who serves as ranking member, asked whether the National Park Service (NPS) has ever been used in a similar capacity and demanded a breakdown of how taxpayer funds would finance the initiative.

"For the past 180 years, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to sharing objective historical evidence through research and education, not political narratives," the senators wrote in the letter.

Newsweek reached out to the White House, the Department of the Interior (DOI), Murkowski and Merkley by email Saturday for further comment.

Dispute Over Historical Presentation

The conflict highlights a broader debate over the curation of American history at federally funded institutions.

Trump’s July executive order, titled Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution, followed a White House review alleging that museum displays lean heavily toward social justice themes and fail to adequately emphasize national achievements.

The administration contends that Smithsonian leadership has utilized the museum to advance ideological agendas. Under the proposed directive, temporary signage would be placed on NPS-managed sidewalks and walkways near the museum to alert visitors to alleged inaccuracies and direct them to alternative informational sources.

Murkowski and Merkley rejected that characterization, emphasizing that the institution has spent nearly two centuries chronicling the nation's history.

"There is nothing more American than telling our story truthfully," the senators wrote in their letter.

The executive order is based on a 162-page White House Domestic Policy Council report that was released on July 4 titled Saving America's Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage.

What Did the White House Report Say?

As previously reported by Newsweek, the Trump administration accused the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History of promoting "ideological activism" over historical scholarship, and argued exhibits on race, gender, immigration and sexuality have distorted the nation's story.

The report argues that the museum no longer presents American history as "a shared national inheritance," instead accusing Smithsonian leadership of using history to advance social justice causes. It claims the institution focuses disproportionately on slavery, racism, inequality and other historical failings while failing to adequately celebrate the nation's founding, achievements and democratic traditions.

Among its recommendations, the report proposed posting warning signs stating that museum exhibits were created by people who "don't want you to love your country," increasing recognition of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence during America's 250th anniversary, and revising exhibits the administration considers ideologically biased.

The White House pulled out several of the report's findings in a social media thread last month, pointing to museum displays and educational materials that administration officials described as examples of "degeneracy" and political activism.

A Smithsonian spokesperson previously told Newsweek: "For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so."

Which Exhibits Were Criticized?

The report singled out several displays inside the National Museum of American History.

It criticized the museum's "Girlhood (It's Complicated)" exhibition, arguing that its discussion of gender identity and transgender experiences reflects political activism rather than historical interpretation. Republicans also questioned the exhibit during recent congressional hearings.

The administration also faulted the museum for what it described as insufficient recognition of the Declaration of Independence and its signers during the nation's semi-quincentennial celebrations. The new executive order specifically says temporary outdoor exhibits should address what it calls those omissions.

As reported by The New York Times, Museum Director Anthea Hartig has rejected the White House's characterization, telling lawmakers that the museum follows rigorous historical scholarship while presenting America's achievements and shortcomings.

Unanswered Logistics and Oversight

Executive Order 14416 directs Burgum, NPS Director Jessica Bowron, and the White House domestic policy office to implement the signage. The notices would reference the White House's July 4 report and assert that exhibits should be renovated to reflect the report's conclusions.

Citing a lack of public details in their letter, Murkowski and Merkley requested information on:

• The total number, size, and specific locations of the proposed signs.
• The exact content and projected manufacturing and installation costs.
• The source of funding within the Department of the Interior.
• The number of federal employees assigned to execute the directive.
• Precedent for utilizing NPS land and resources to contest the scholarly work of another federal entity.
• The criteria for determining "accurate" information and whether public input will be solicited.
• The anticipated duration the temporary signs will remain displayed.

Murkowski Has Previously Defied Party Lines

As a Republican, Murkowski has been critical of Trump and his administration in the past, voting to convict him in his impeachment trial following the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. While most Republican lawmakers have been generally supportive of Trump's policies since his return to the White House, Murkowski has been more willing to break from the party.

On Friday, Murkowski announced she would oppose Todd Blanche, Trump's pick for attorney general, despite describing him as "decent and capable" and saying he had made "several noteworthy decisions" as acting attorney general that benefited Alaska and the nation.

She said, however, she was troubled by what she described as the increasing politicization, and even "weaponization," of the Justice Department. She pointed specifically to the handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and immunity protections granted to Trump, his family and their businesses as part of an IRS settlement.

Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Steve Mollman and Anthony Murray.