President Trump's effort to stop 'woke' ideology at the Smithsonian has grown into a big White House review.

The Smithsonian oversees many museums, the National Zoo, and lots of objects and specimens, and gets over $1 billion in federal funding each year.

The administration's campaign has put the Smithsonian at the center of a debate over patriotism, history, and the role of cultural institutions.

A GOP lawmaker demands answers after the Smithsonian chief urged moving beyond 'America First' mentality.

President Trump has made changing the Smithsonian a priority in his campaign to stop 'woke' ideology.

The administration has looked at museum exhibits, educational programs, and leadership statements over the past 16 months.

The effort ended in a 162-page report that recommends big changes and new executive actions.

Here is a timeline of the major developments.

Trump signed an executive order to restore truth and sanity to American history two months into his second term.

The order argues that federal cultural institutions have promoted divisive ideological narratives and tasks the White House with reviewing Smithsonian exhibits.

The White House Domestic Policy Council started an investigation of the Smithsonian, focusing on the National Museum of American History.

Officials reviewed exhibits, educational materials, and leadership speeches, and found examples of divisive ideological narratives.

The Smithsonian is at the center of a White House campaign to change its presentation of American history.

White House officials sent a letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch to start the review.

The letter asked for exhibition plans, educational materials, and other records, and outlined a review of eight Smithsonian museums.

The museums were told to revise public-facing content within 120 days and to celebrate American exceptionalism.

The Trump administration has pressed Smithsonian Secretary Bunch for records and changes as part of its review.

The White House criticizes the museum for not having special Independence Day programming and for planning 250th anniversary exhibits that emphasize flaws.

The administration says the 250 installations give insufficient attention to the Founders and the American Revolution.

The White House tells Smithsonian Secretary Bunch that the institution has not provided most of the requested records.

The review requested exhibition plans, curatorial documents, and governance materials.

The administration gave the Smithsonian until January 13, 2026, to produce the records and reminded it to use federal funding consistently with Trump's executive order.

For Trump, the battle over the Smithsonian is part of a broader push to restore a patriotic telling of American history.

White House investigators completed on-site walkthroughs of Smithsonian museums and reviewed exhibits and educational materials.

The investigators found exhibits that emphasized restorative history, decolonization, and social justice, and claimed the institution was downplaying America's Founders.

The report concludes that the Smithsonian has undergone a significant shift away from its original mission and emphasizes social justice activism.

The White House argued that the Smithsonian's America 250 exhibit did not celebrate the nation's Founders or the American Revolution.

The museum debuted its signature exhibition commemorating America's 250th anniversary, featuring 250 objects from its collection.

The White House said the exhibition repackaged existing displays and failed to meaningfully celebrate America's Founders and the American Revolution.

The Trump administration said the exhibit's promotional materials and programming downplayed patriotic themes and national symbols.

The White House Domestic Policy Council released its 'Saving America's Story' report, concluding that the National Museum of American History has undergone ideological capture.

The report recommends removing political activism from museum exhibits and restoring displays that emphasize America's founding principles.

The expansive report included images of exhibits, placards, and curators, and focused on how the museum portrayed illegal migration.

Hours after the report's release, Trump signed the 'Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution' executive order.

The order directs the Interior Department and other agencies to use available authorities to encourage the Smithsonian to address the report's findings.

Trump ordered signs to be installed outside the Smithsonian Museum amid a row over its depiction of American history.

A photograph of President Trump and a short plaque are on display at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

Trump's order also instructs the National Park Service to install temporary signs outside the National Museum of American History.

The administration says its effort is intended to restore a patriotic presentation of American history at the Smithsonian.

The institution has long said its mission is to preserve and present the nation's history through scholarship and public education.

The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Amanda Macias covers the intersection of business, economics, and politics.