Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) expressed strong support for President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at addressing what he and other Republicans describe as ideological bias at the Smithsonian Institution. Speaking on "Fox & Friends Weekend" on July 25, 2026, Gill applauded Trump’s directive to place warning signs along National Park Service walkways outside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

Gill criticized the museum for promoting left-wing activism rather than an objective recounting of American history. He called for the firing of museum officials over what he described as left-wing influence at the institution. "This is the first time, I think, that we've had a president who takes this stuff seriously," Gill said, adding that previous administrations allowed "the left to continue their long march through the institutions and continue shoving leftism down our throats and down the throats of our children."

The executive order mandates that signage notify visitors that museum exhibits should be renovated consistent with findings in a recent report and direct visitors to accurate resources on American history. It also calls for temporary exhibits or signage to "correct inaccurate information presented in the Museum," citing the Smithsonian's alleged failure to properly commemorate America's founding history during its 250th anniversary year.

Gill emphasized the need for an "actual objective telling of American history," rejecting narratives that group people by race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or immigration status. According to the executive order, the museum's leadership "does not present American history as a shared national inheritance to be taught and celebrated, but instead views American history as a 'prime tool' to advance ideas of social justice and the radical transformation of our society."

Gill’s comments followed a House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee hearing titled "Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian's Efforts to Reshape the Past," held on July 21, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

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