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Lisa Murkowski tells North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum she opposes Trump administration plan for Smithsonian museum history signage
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Politics/The Apex Times/Aug 7, 1:44 PM EDT

Lisa Murkowski tells North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum she opposes Trump administration plan for Smithsonian museum history signage

The Alaska Republican said she supports preserving Smithsonian signage and exhibit practices, citing concerns that President Donald Trump’s Smithsonian-focused executive order could change how the National Museum of American History presents American history.

3 min readEditor-approved Apex article

President Donald Trump’s administration has directed work tied to an order aimed at “restoring trust” in the Smithsonian Institution, and that move is now drawing a public break from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who said she is defending Smithsonian history displays in a letter to North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a Trump ally and Republican committee leader.

The White House posted a summary and text of a July 24 executive action titled “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution.” In that presidential document, Trump cited a March 27, 2025 executive order numbered 14253, and directed a policy review tied to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, according to the White House order text posted on the official presidential actions page.

According to Fox News, Murkowski’s intervention focuses on museum signage and how history is presented, with the senator warning that the administration’s approach could amount to government interference in how exhibits are described to the public. Fox reported that Murkowski wrote to Burgum to express concerns about the plan and urged that the Smithsonian’s history work be protected.

The Smithsonian is a federal museum and research institution, and changes to its exhibits can raise questions that reach beyond internal curatorial practice, including speech and government authority over public-facing interpretations of historical events. Murkowski’s public stance is notable because she is part of the Senate Republican conference yet is raising concerns tied to a Trump executive action.

The White House materials associated with the Smithsonian order say the administration conducted a review under the domestic policy apparatus and then issued directions as part of the executive action. The White House order page states it was issued by Trump “by the authority vested” in the president and sets out the policy basis for the Smithsonian effort.

Fox News reported that the senator’s letter to Burgum reflects a broader dispute within the Republican Party over how to address complaints about “ideological” capture and interpretive choices in museums, and whether executive-branch direction should be applied to Smithsonian communications such as exhibit and museum signage. Murkowski’s letter also underscores that at least one Republican senator is pressing for guardrails or limits on the administration’s approach.

Burgum has not been cited in the White House executive text as a decision-maker for the Smithsonian action, but the fact that Murkowski wrote to him suggests the dispute is connected to Republican governance and implementation channels tied to the administration’s priorities.

No court filing was referenced in the Fox report, and the White House executive action materials provided describe an executive-branch policy and review process. Further details on whether the Smithsonian will change specific signage or exhibit language, and the schedule for any implementation, would depend on how agencies and Smithsonian leadership carry out the presidential directives after the order takes effect.

keyFacts

Why It Matters

  • The Smithsonian executive action illustrates how presidential direction can shape public-facing historical interpretation at a federally supported museum.
  • Murkowski’s break highlights internal Republican disagreement over the scope of executive-branch involvement in museum exhibit and signage decisions.
  • If the order leads to changes in signage, it could affect how millions of visitors encounter the museum’s explanation of American history.
  • The episode raises questions about institutional independence, government authority, and the speech implications of federal guidance on interpretive language.
  • Implementation timing and the specific exhibits affected would determine the practical impact of the executive action.

Sources

Key Facts

  • President Donald Trump issued an executive action titled “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution” on July 24, according to White House presidential actions pages.
  • The White House order text ties the Smithsonian effort to a prior March 27, 2025 executive order numbered 14253.
  • Fox News reported Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, wrote to North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum with concerns about the Smithsonian-related plan, including museum signage.
  • Murkowski’s public break is framed by Fox as a dispute over how the National Museum of American History presents American history.
  • The Fox report did not cite a court case or legal challenge in connection with the letter.