Trump Is Trying to Change the Smithsonian, but Who Actually Owns the Institute?

For almost 200 years, the Smithsonian Institute and its various museums have been working to educate the American people about everything from the country's history to the wonders of the natural world. Donald Trump's latest executive order is designed to explicitly control what can and cannot be covered in these museums.

Following the order, many wanted to better understand who actually owns the Institute and who controls it. Here's what we know.

The Smithsonian Institute was founded by the federal government and operates as a trust, which means that it is an executive agency. It's an independent establishment in the executive branch, according to its founding charter, but it has historically operated outside of the direct control of the presidency. It occupies a unique role inside the federal government and is chaired by a 17-member Board of Regents.

That Board of Regents contains the Chief Justice, the Vice President, three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives, and nine citizen members appointed by Joint Resolution of Congress.

Trump's executive order was directed at the vice president but also had directions for Congress, suggesting that the legislative branch should not fund exhibits that are "anti-American."

The Smithsonian may operate out of the executive branch, but it is not a federal agency in the way that something like the Department of Education is. Instead, it's described as a trust instrumentality of the United States, in part because it is only responsible for the governance of its own grounds. It is also recognized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization, which means that unlike most parts of the federal government, it is allowed to accept gifts.

Because the vice president is part of the Board of Regents, it's certainly possible that J.D. Vance will be able to exert some influence over the direction of the Smithsonian.

"Once widely respected as a symbol of American excellence and a global icon of cultural achievement, the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology," the order says.

"This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive," it continues. "Museums in our Nation's capital should be places where individuals go to learn — not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history."

It seems clear, then, that Trump wants the Smithsonian to cover up the uglier parts of American history in favor of naked patriotism.

America has certainly had its share of heroic moments over the course of its 250 years of existence. What's also true, though, is that this country is far from perfect. Believing that America is a great country doesn't have to mean hiding everything the country ever did wrong. But it looks like that's exactly what Trump is planning to do, at least as far as the Smithsonian is concerned.