WATCH: Rep. Lynch questions American History museum director in Smithsonian oversight hearing

Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., questioned Anthea Hartig, director of the National Museum of American History, in a House Oversight subcommittee hearing Tuesday. In announcing the hearing, the Republican-led committee claimed that the “Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is promoting a narrow, politically tendentious agenda instead of seeking to instill in visitors an appreciation for America’s unique history as a beacon of liberty, democracy, and opportunity.” In President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration has sought to clamp down on how American history is framed in public spaces, removing exhibits from national parks on slavery and violence against Native Americans. On July 4, the White House released a 162-page report called “Saving America’s Story” that alleged that the National Museum of American History has moved “away from straightforward historical education and scholarship toward an extreme political activism that seeks to transform our country.” The Smithsonian has pushed back against that characterization. “For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so,” it said in a statement earlier this month. The hearing is one of two scheduled for this week in the House focused on the Smithsonian. Watch PBS News for daily, breaking and live news, plus special coverage. We are home to PBS News Hour, ranked the most credible and objective TV news show. Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe PBS News podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS News at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: TikTok:   / pbsnews   X:   / newshour   Instagram:   / newshour   Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour