#censorship
7 entries with this tag
The White House Published a 162-Page Report Accusing the Smithsonian of "Anti-White Bias" and Demanded It Post a Warning Label Saying the Museum Was "Prepared by People Who Don't Want You to Love Your Country" — Because a History Museum Told the History
On July 4, 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding — the White House Domestic Policy Council released a 162-page report titled "Saving America's Story: How Ideological Capture at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History Erases Our Heritage." The report accuses the Smithsonian's flagship history museum of "extreme political activism," "anti-white bias," and being "ideologically captured" by "a radical, activist cohort." Its complaints: the museum discusses slavery when presenting the Founders, notes that the U.S. government "forcibly pushed Indians from their ancestral lands," acknowledges the existence of transgender people, and includes a learning-lab section defining "Whiteness" as a system of power. It objects that an 1840 statue of George Washington "refuses to affirm the exceptional courage of the American people." Most remarkably, the report recommends the museum post a label at every entrance reading: "Warning: the exhibits in this museum were prepared by people who don't want you to love your country." The report is the culmination of Trump's March 2025 executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," which put JD Vance in charge of removing "improper ideology" from the Smithsonian and threatened to halt its federal funding — more than $1 billion, about 62% of its budget — if it did not submit exhibits for review. A federal court had already ruled in June 2026 that the administration's removal of slavery, climate, and Indigenous history signage set "a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization." Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III — the historian who built the National Museum of African American History and Culture — responded that "history is driven by scholarship, not partisanship." MSNBC's coverage called the attack "shocking and galling"; an accompanying opinion piece said the White House "doesn't want history at the Smithsonian. It wants fandom" — behaving "like a real-life Tumblr page devoted to a toxic fandom." The government of the United States wrote a 162-page document demanding that a museum stop telling the truth about the country, and proposed labeling the truth as an act of hatred.
Colbert's Last Show: 11 Years, 1,800 Episodes, Silenced — Trump Celebrates "The Beginning of the End"
Stephen Colbert's Late Show aired its final episode — 11 years and over 1,800 episodes, ended after Paramount paid Trump $16M and got its merger approved. The finale drew 6.74 million viewers — the show's all-time weeknight record. Trump posted at 1:52 AM calling Colbert "a dead person" and "a total jerk," then followed up: "May they all Rest in Peace!" about other late-night hosts. He called the show "very poorly rated." It just set a viewership record.
White House Tried to Block Bill Maher's Mark Twain Prize — Called It "Fake News"
After reporters revealed Bill Maher was chosen for the Mark Twain Prize, the White House called the Kennedy Center to block the award. Press Secretary called it "fake news." The Kennedy Center defied the White House and gave Maher the prize anyway.
FCC Weaponizes "Equal Time" Rule Against Late Night — Reversed 20 Years of Precedent
The FCC reversed a 2006 precedent exempting talk shows from equal-time rules. Late night hosts can no longer interview political figures without rival candidates demanding airtime. CBS blocked a Colbert interview. The FCC opened enforcement against The View.
Trump Demands NBC Fire Seth Meyers — FCC Chair Reposts the Demand
Trump posted that NBC should fire Seth Meyers "IMMEDIATELY" for mocking him. Less than an hour later, the FCC Chairman — head of the independent agency regulating NBC's broadcast license — reposted Trump's demand without comment. He then visited Trump that weekend.
Ordered Smithsonian to Align Exhibits with "Pro-America" Narrative
The White House ordered a review of 8 Smithsonian museums demanding they replace "divisive" content with "unifying" descriptions within 120 days. Historians called it "authoritarian censorship." A Black artist pulled her exhibition citing censorship.
Banned AP from White House Over "Gulf of Mexico"
The White House banned Associated Press reporters from Oval Office events because AP refused to rename the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America." The U.S. dropped to 57th in the World Press Freedom Index — its lowest ranking ever.