Critics continue to bash the “woke” Smithsonian, with the latest critic calling for an overhaul of its entire leadership structure.
The critic, Cully Stimson of the Heritage Foundation, bluntly told Fox News that the modern Smithsonian is pushing a negative, “self-loathing” portrayal of America’s history.
“I think this is part of a broader effort by radicals on the left to redefine the history of the United States and reframe it in an oppressor-versus-oppressed narrative,” he said.
“Instead of looking at American history chronologically with all the triumphs and tragedies, including slavery, and then the things that our country did to eradicate the vestiges of slavery, and then passing the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments and the Civil Rights Acts and getting rid of various other laws that were discriminatory in practice or in spirit, they take a very pro-reparations, ‘we’re a bad country,’ oppressor-versus-oppressed narrative,” he added.
His remarks come after the Trump administration’s Domestic Policy Council published a bombshell report accusing the Smithsonian of not being interested in presenting American history but rather twisting it “to advance ideas of social justice and the radical transformation of our society.”
The release of the report led to congressional hearings during which National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig was fiercely grilled on both the museum and also basic biological facts:
Smithsonian history museum director stumbles when asked basic questions about biological sex and gender.
During a contentious House hearing, Rep. Nancy Mace repeatedly pressed Director Anthea Hartig on whether men can become women, what defines a woman, and how many genders… pic.twitter.com/IPab2Y9AEs
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 21, 2026
Stimson said the hearings helped expose the “bile that they’re trying to pass off as history,” adding that “sunlight’s a good disinfectant.”
“If the head of the Smithsonian had any shame whatsoever, she would have resigned in disgrace already,” he continued. “And she doesn’t have any shame because she’s perfectly happy with what she’s done. She’s just the pointy end of the radical spear that’s out there trying to force this thing down the throats of Americans.”
He added that Hartig should’ve been fired “the minute after the hearing” because of her “smug and self-righteous” behavior.
“Her little writing the question down and her smugness was really evincing of what she really thinks of the American people and congressional oversight,” he insisted.
Stimson was especially upset with how the Smithsonian chose to celebrate America’s 250th birthday — by exposing families and children to “all sorts of disgusting things, bondage, and all sorts of other nasty things.”
“There should be an entire section dedicated toward the Founding Fathers and the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the Reconstruction Amendments and all the things that happened, the Civil War, but no,” he angrily said. “We should not have a museum dedicated to flagellation and self-loathing. That is not how you celebrate your country.”
Why was fetish attire displayed in a taxpayer-funded American history museum that welcomes children?
Smithsonian Director Anthea Hartig approved this rotten display, yet couldn’t explain or defend it when questioned. pic.twitter.com/NVXFg6Gnix
— Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) July 22, 2026
His remarks echo those of historian, author, and museum executive Dr. Jody Edward Ginn, who earlier this month said that the Smithsonian has lost its way.
“It’s a completely different place than when I was there in 2012,” he told Fox News in an exclusive interview after visiting the National Museum of American History (NMAH) for the first time in over a decade.
“Its mission is clearly exactly what they changed it to be. It is a museum for activism. They use history, but that’s kind of the problem. You know, scholars of history, and I don’t consider these folks scholars anymore. They’re activists,” he added.
“From the moment I walked in, it’s a very different experience,” Ginn said to Fox News, recalling his visit. “Now, I wasn’t totally shocked by this because I’ve been watching this evolution in my field for over a decade.”
“It became this goal, their own stated goal, to turn museums from institutions of education, of public education, into institutions to encourage activism, which could also be said to indoctrinate,” he noted.
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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