Trump Proposes Lowest Smithsonian Budget in Years
But while those numbers are still preliminary, there are other, quieter ways in which the White House is trying to control how the institution uses available funding.
The White House has unveiled its lowest budget for the Smithsonian in recent years, according to a House subcommittee appropriations bill. The proposed allocation for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) stands at $961.3 million, a significant decrease of about 11% from the previous year's $1.08 billion budget. This figure encompasses $841.3 million for salaries and expenses, as well as $120 million for facilities maintenance and capital projects, representing the same amount as last year.
The budget request also anticipates a 6% reduction in the Smithsonian's workforce, shrinking from an estimated 4,047 employees to a proposed 3,804. These proposed cuts align with the Trump administration's ongoing criticism of the Smithsonian, which has accused the institution of promoting a "woke" agenda through various exhibitions, programming, and public-facing materials across its 21 museums and national zoo.
However, congressional expert and senior fellow at Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute, Mark B. Harkins, clarified that these figures are not yet finalized.
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