Fox News reports that Smithsonian Institution Director Dr Anthea Hartig has, according to a historian, spent much of her career promoting an activist, Marxist-influenced approach to history, prompting questions about the political direction of the United States' leading museum system. The claims form part of a wider Republican-led push, including scrutiny from House GOP lawmakers, targeting what they characterise as "woke" content and ideological bias across Smithsonian exhibits.

Historian Dr Jody Edward Ginn made the allegations, arguing that Hartig's activism and political outlook have shaped her work in leadership roles throughout her career, not just at the Smithsonian. The controversy comes amid ongoing Trump administration and congressional pressure on the Smithsonian over its funding and exhibit content, with critics, including at least one descendant of enslaved people cited in related coverage, accusing the institution of ideological "indoctrination" rather than neutral historical presentation.