Executive Order 14253 establishes a policy framework to counteract what it characterizes as "a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation's history" with ideologically-driven narratives. The order claims that revisionist historical interpretations have undermined America's achievements by portraying the nation's founding principles and historical development as "inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed." It specifically criticizes the prior administration and the Smithsonian Institution for allegedly promoting "divisive, race-centered ideology" through exhibits and programming that the order claims distort American history and values. The order establishes a policy of restoring federal historical sites to serve as "solemn and uplifting public monuments" that highlight America's "extraordinary heritage" and "unmatched record of advancing liberty."
The order directs specific actions across multiple institutions. It tasks the Vice President with working through the Smithsonian Board of Regents to "remove improper ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution's museums and properties. The Vice President and OMB Director are instructed to work with Congress to prohibit Smithsonian funding for exhibits that allegedly "degrade shared American values" or "divide Americans based on race." The order explicitly directs that the American Women's History Museum should not "recognize men as women in any respect." For Independence National Historical Park, the Secretary of the Interior is ordered to improve infrastructure by July 4, 2026. Additionally, the Interior Secretary must identify monuments or historical markers changed since 2020 that allegedly "perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history" and take action to reinstate previous versions.
Implementation responsibilities primarily fall to the Vice President, who is directed to consult with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and a specifically named Special Assistant to the President. The order establishes a process for appointing new citizen members to the Smithsonian Board of Regents who are "committed to advancing the policy of this order." The Department of the Interior is charged with conducting the review of historical monuments and implementing changes to ensure they "do not contain descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living." The order frames these changes as necessary to restore the Smithsonian "to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness" and to ensure that federal historical sites foster national pride rather than what it terms "ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives."