00:00The president does not control the Smithsonian.
00:02He does, however, control the sidewalk outside of it.
00:05Here's what's happening.
00:06On July 24th, Trump signed an executive order
00:08telling the National Park Service
00:10to post temporary signs on the sidewalks
00:13outside of the Smithsonian's American History Museum.
00:16Per the order, those signs should tell visitors
00:18that the exhibits should be redone
00:20and point them toward accurate information
00:22that the order doesn't name.
00:24One reason given is that the museum didn't honor
00:26the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence
00:28during America's 250th anniversary.
00:31The order follows a 165-page White House report
00:34accusing the museum of one-sided history.
00:36Now, the Smithsonian is independent by charter,
00:39so Trump can't order an exhibit changed, hence the signs.
00:42But the order goes further, directing Interior,
00:45the Budget Office, and the General Services Administration
00:47to use every available tool, including funding,
00:51to encourage correction of issues identified.
00:53And about 62% of the Smithsonian's budget is federal,
00:57which gives this actual teeth.
00:58Per Fox News, White House official Lindsey Halligan
01:01says taxpayers, quote,
01:02should not be funding institutions
01:04that undermine our country
01:05or promote one-sided, divisive political narratives.
01:08According to an internal letter ABC News obtained,
01:11Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch called that, quote,
01:14not a fair characterization of the museum's work,
01:16and the Smithsonian declined to comment on the order.
01:19Now, everybody has the right to protest,
01:21even the president, but what do you think?
01:24Is this the right way to go about this?
01:25Let us know in the comments.
01:26Let us know in the comments.
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