President Donald Trump is escalating his campaign against the Smithsonian Institution, ordering Friday that warning signs be installed outside the National Museum of American History to alert visitors about what he calls “inaccurate information presented in the Museum.” The directive tasks Interior Secretary Doug Burgum with working alongside the National Park Service to place temporary signage along public walkways leading to the building, where visitors will be pointed toward what the administration considers more reliable historical resources.

The move follows a White House report released on July 4 that accused Smithsonian leadership of failing to present American history in a way that is “inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.” In his latest order, Trump wrote that institution officials “cannot be trusted to tell America’s story with honesty and gratitude,” echoing language from his March 2025 executive order that targeted federal funding for programs promoting what he described as divisive narratives and improper ideology.

Trump has assembled a team including Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and General Services Administration officials to enforce the new policy using all available authorities. The signage will reference the July 4 report and demand that its findings be carried out in accordance with his earlier executive order, marking an unusual step by a president seeking to shape how visitors interpret one of the nation’s most prominent cultural institutions before they even walk through the doors.

The Smithsonian declined to comment on Friday, but Secretary Lonnie Bunch pushed back against the administration’s characterization in an email to NBC News earlier this month. He said the White House report does not fairly represent the work of the National Museum of American History and stressed that the institution remains guided by scholarship, accuracy, nonpartisanship, and integrity. “At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America’s story,” Bunch wrote.