Inside the Smithsonian Culture War: How a Franklin Exhibit Fueled Trump’s Political Assault

By mid‑2024 the Smithsonian found itself at the center of a fierce Smithsonian culture war. A 2021 exhibition titled “The Electric Dr. Franklin” highlighted Benjamin Franklin’s electrical breakthroughs while noting his involvement with slavery. Critics, including a July White House dossier, argued the display crossed from scholarship into partisan activism.

Smithsonian culture war: the political backlash

The report, a ↑ 162-page indictment, claimed the museum had been “ideologically captured” and urged corrective action.

“The Museum’s mission has been diverted toward extreme political activism,” the report warned.

Supporters counter that confronting uncomfortable truths is essential to public history, especially as the nation wrestles with the legacy of its founders during a post‑pandemic era.

Trump’s agenda and museum funding

Since the 2024 elections, former President Trump has repeatedly cited the exhibit as evidence of “left‑wing indoctrination” in federal institutions. Congressional hearings have examined whether federal funds should be tied to compliance with “objective” historical standards, a phrase championed by Trump allies. Reuters and AP News have tracked the unfolding dispute, noting that the museum’s board faced renewed calls for resignation. The controversy illustrates how cultural institutions are becoming battlegrounds in America’s broader ideological divide.