The Smithsonian budget would fall below $1 billion for the first time since 2020 as the Trump administration pushes for major changes to the institution.
The Smithsonian budget is headed below $1 billion for the first time since 2020, as President Donald Trump’s proposed funding cuts sharpen a fight over the future of the nation’s largest museum system. The move puts the Smithsonian budget at the center of a broader clash over how the institution presents American history and how much taxpayer support it should receive.
The Smithsonian oversees 21 museums, the National Zoo and nearly 157 million objects and specimens. It has depended on more than $1 billion in annual taxpayer support in recent years, even as its exhibits and leadership have faced increasing scrutiny over diversity, equity and inclusion priorities and what critics call ideological framing. A White House report released in July 2026 accused the institution of advancing DEI and left-wing agendas, and Fox News Digital has since highlighted examples that drew fresh criticism.
Among the examples cited were the Smithsonian’s America 250 exhibit, which featured roughly three times as many items focused on liberal figures and causes as conservative ones. Critics said that created an unbalanced picture of the American story. Another point of backlash came after the Smithsonian promoted a museum training guide that linked ideas such as objectivity and merit to what it called “white dominant culture.” The institution later apologized for that program after public criticism.
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III has also come under scrutiny after saying DEI “must be at the center” of museum institutions. From 2020 through 2024, he received more than $4.4 million in salary and benefits. Those details have added fuel to an already tense debate over the Smithsonian’s mission, leadership and use of public money.
“The Smithsonian budget would fall below $1 billion for the first time since 2020 as the Trump administration pushes for major changes to the institution.”
The pressure did not emerge overnight. The White House’s proposed cuts followed a months-long review ordered by Trump that ended with a 162-page report calling for sweeping changes and additional executive action. At the same time, the Smithsonian’s own budget requests had been rising for years. A Fox News Digital analysis found requests climbed from $960 million in fiscal 2019 to a record $1.24 billion in fiscal 2024 during the Biden administration.
After asking for more than $1 billion in fiscal 2025, the Trump administration proposed budgets below that mark for fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027. That is the first time since fiscal 2020 that the federal request would fall under $1 billion. While the Smithsonian also takes in private donations, grants and other money, federal dollars still cover much of the institution’s core operation.
Of the nearly $960 million federal budget request, a little more than $524 million would go to day-to-day operations such as staff, security, facilities and technology. Another $310 million would fund museum activity and research, while the rest would be used for building improvements, planning and oversight. The largest shares in the 2026 request go to the National Museum of Natural History at $51 million, the National Museum of the American Indian at nearly $35 million, the National Zoo at about $34 million and the National Museum of American History at $27 million.
The Smithsonian’s budget battle now reaches beyond museum walls and into a larger argument about public funding, historical interpretation and federal control of major cultural institutions. For American readers, the key issue is simple: the debate will help decide how taxpayer money supports the way the country’s history is preserved and presented.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Smithsonian budget drawing so much attention?
The Smithsonian receives major taxpayer support, and Trump’s proposed cuts are tied to criticism over how the institution presents American History and handles DEI issues.
How much federal money is involved?
The Smithsonian has relied on more than $1 billion a year in taxpayer funds in recent years. The current request is just under $960 million, with larger totals requested in prior years.
Which Smithsonian museums would receive the most funding?
The National Museum of Natural History would receive $51 million, followed by the National Museum of the American Indian at nearly $35 million, the National Zoo at about $34 million and the National Museum of American History at $27 million.
What happens next?
The proposed reductions continue a months-long Trump-driven review of the Smithsonian. The next step is how the administration and the institution move forward in the fight over federal support and museum priorities.
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