— The National Air and Space Museum has fallen under the scrutiny of the White House following President Donald Trump's directive to restore what he has called "truth and sanity" to how the Smithsonian exhibits and presents American history.

The Air and Space on Tuesday (Aug. 12) was identified as one of eight museums that will be the first to be subject to a "comprehensive internal review." In a letter sent to Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian, the White House described the audit as ensuring that current and planned displays support the President's call to "celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions."

The letter was signed by Lindsey Halligan, special assistant to the President; Vince Haley, director of the Domestic Policy Council; and Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

"As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, it is more important than ever that our national museums reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story," wrote the White House officials. "In this spirit, and in accordance with Executive Order 14253, 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' we will be leading a comprehensive internal review of selected Smithsonian museums and exhibitions."

The Smithsonian acknowledged receipt of the letter in a statement.

"The Smithsonian's work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history," institution's officials wrote. "We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents."

Trump and his administration previously raised concerns about the content presented in the National Museum of American History and National Museum of African American History and Culture. This is believed to be the first time that the National Air and Space Museum has been named for review.

First opened in 1976, the Air and Space is focused primarily on the country's advancements in astronautics and space exploration. Since 2018, the museum's flagship building in Washington, D.C. has been undergoing an almost $1 billion interior and exterior renovation, including the reimagining of all 20 of its galleries.

Among the new exhibitions are one that focuses on how aerospace innovations have and continue to contribute to our understanding, monitoring and mitigation of climate change and a returning display highlighting African Americans who, despite challenges, created their own opportunities from the early days of aviation through to the Space Age. Both are subjects that the White House has sought to suppress or minimize elsewhere.

The White House has given 30 days for each museum to turn over materials related to its current exhibitions (including a digital file with the text of all of its wall didactics, placards and gallery labels currently on display); a schedule of planned traveling exhibitions through 2029; display and event plans for the United States' 250th anniversary; and details about how it selects exhibits, the chain of command for approval, curatorial manuals and an organizational chart.

The museum then have an additional 45 days to submit a complete inventory of its holdings; copies of all of its materials for educators and students; a directory to all of its websites and online content; a list of external partnerships (including artists and historians); details of past and current grants that have funded exhibitions and artwork; and the replies to visitor surveys and evaluations of Smithsonian content.

The White House also expects to interview curators and the museums' senior staff during this same time period.

By the end of the year, "museums should begin implementing content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions across placards, wall didactics, digital displays, and other public-facing materials," the letter reads.

In addition to the Air and Space, other Smithsonian museums subject to this first review include the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

This effort by the Trump administration is separate from the recent actions taken by Texas lawmakers to relocate space shuttle Discovery from the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in northern Virginia to Space Center Houston. The White House's letter, though, stated the review is to decide if the Smithsonian "can make better use of certain materials [by] conveying [them] to other institutions."