leadership

WASHINGTON — Long before he was the top official at the U.S. Postal Service, David Steiner was a corporate executive surfing mid-oughts television when he came across Donald Trump on “The Apprentice.”

He was unimpressed.

“If that is leadership, if that’s what we’re telling people that our culture and our media portrays as leadership, we’re screwed,” Steiner, then the CEO of Waste Management, said during a 2007 speech at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. “If that’s leadership, count me out.”

“And for God’s sake,” he added to laughter, “if I have to get my hair to look like that, if I have to do that to be a leader, you can definitely count me out.”

Nearly two decades later, Trump has migrated from reality television to the presidency. And onetime detractors — Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, for example — now loyally execute his agenda.

Trump’s effort to use the Postal Service as a tool to reshape American elections is testing whether Steiner will follow a similar path.

Independent or a Trump ‘pawn’?

When Trump signed an executive order restricting mail ballots this year, Steiner moved quickly to finalize a rule implementing the measure, arguing he had little choice. But after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the effort, Steiner told The Associated Press that work had stopped on one of the plan’s most controversial elements, a government portal for voter rolls.

He refused to endorse the Republican president’s order as sound policy, saying he was focused on implementation and letting the courts ultimately decide the matter.

“I don’t get to decide what rules that are put on us that I decide to accept or not accept,” he said. “We are an independent agency of the executive branch.”

The episode prompted fierce criticism of Steiner for allowing Trump to deploy an agency designed to be shielded from politics.

Jena Griswold, Colorado’s Democratic secretary of state, called him a “Trump lackey.” Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, a Democrat, recently asked Congress to deploy observers to ensure postal workers can scan envelopes holding mail ballots without disruption, saying the Trump administration “has attempted to weaponize federal agencies to interfere in our elections, and the leadership at USPS is going along with it.”

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., accused Steiner of being a Trump “pawn” during a congressional hearing this summer. Dozens of congressional Democrats have pressed Steiner to reveal his interactions with the White House during the development of the mail ballot rule.

Some Republicans have joined in the criticism. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, incensed by abandoned mail, called for Steiner’s resignation and introduced legislation to block him from receiving a bonus.

During a lengthy interview, Steiner seemed surprised at points by his reception in Washington. He insisted he wasn’t a “political person” and said he had no intention of stepping down despite the criticism. He dismissed heated congressional appearances as “theater” at odds with more substantive private interactions on Capitol Hill.

Steiner was chagrined, however, at the mention of his 2007 remarks on Trump, delivered well before he launched a political career. Steiner recalled speaking at the university but said he didn’t remember his comments, acknowledging a tendency to be “flippant.”

“That’s funny,” he said. “I don’t recall it.”

The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment on Steiner’s remarks or his stewardship of the Postal Service.

Steiner didn’t follow the traditional path to power in Trump’s Washington

The Postal Service dates to Benjamin Franklin, the first postmaster general, whose portrait and bust are displayed in Steiner’s office overlooking the Washington Wharf. The agency has more than 630,000 employees, dwarfing many Cabinet departments.

While the quickest way to top jobs in Trump’s Washington is often by writing big checks, the 66-year-old Steiner doesn’t appear to have followed that course. He has largely donated to Republicans but also gave to John Kerry’s Democratic presidential campaign in 2004. Unlike his predecessor as postmaster general, Louis DeJoy, Steiner was not a major GOP donor or Trump backer.

Born in Oakland, California, as one of eight children to a father who spent his career at Chevron, Steiner worked in corporate and securities law before moving to Waste Management in 2000. He became CEO in 2004 and ran the company for 12 years. He was also a longtime director at FedEx, where board chairman Brad Martin recalled him as “outcome oriented” and rarely political.

“He’s going to follow the rules. He’s going to follow the law,” Martin said. “I don’t recall us ever talking politics.”

By the time a headhunter contacted Steiner about the postmaster general job, he was largely removed from daily corporate life and initially demurred.

“I talked to my wife, and we both agreed I was happily retired,” he said.

He changed his mind, he said, during a visit to the beaches of Normandy, feeling a sense of civic duty.

Now at the Postal Service, he earns about $346,000 in annual salary along with a relocation bonus that amounts to half his salary, far less than the $17 million in compensation he earned during his final year at Waste Management. His current role is designed to exist one layer removed from the political process, reporting to a board of governors that is selected by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

He was hired in 2025 by a board that was made up of five members, three of whom were Democrats. All but one were appointed by President Joe Biden. That makeup could change as four Trump nominees — all Republicans — await Senate confirmation. Steiner can be fired only by the board.

Steiner said he first met Trump along with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick at the board’s urging after he was already selected as postmaster general. Since then, he described a minimal relationship with the White House.

“We don’t fly on the radar,” he said.

That is, until Trump revived his effort in March to crack down on mail voting. Steiner said he “wasn’t in on the development piece” of the order and first saw it about a month before it was signed.

“They gave it to us to say, ‘Have your lawyers look at it, and how do you operationalize it?’” Steiner said.

The portal spurred a massive development effort inside the Postal Service while some states criticized it as federal overreach. A whistleblower report released by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., argued the system was hastily built and riddled with errors, though Steiner said he was confident it could have been unveiled around Sept. 15.

“The heavy lifting was clearly, clearly the IT work,” Steiner said.

Challenges ahead for the Postal Service

Though the Supreme Court dispensed with the rule, the dynamics for the Postal Service don’t get easier.

The agency posted a $9 billion net loss last year, and Steiner has warned it could soon run out of cash unless Congress lifts a $15 billion borrowing cap. Political hurdles have prevented potential cost savings from cutting service or closing some post offices.

And while Trump’s executive order won’t take effect, the Postal Service will still play a critical role in this year’s elections. There are mounting concerns that mail ballots could be rejected for late postmarks. Steiner encouraged voters to get their ballots in a week before the election to avoid problems.

The Postal Service is a rare corner of government still viewed favorably with more than half of Americans, 56%, saying it was doing an “excellent” or “good” job in a Gallup poll conducted last year. That could change if the agency is seen as increasingly political.

Steiner, however, said Americans will judge the Postal Service by their experience of it.

“What they care about is when they get that wedding invitation after the wedding or when they send a package and it disappears,” he said. “If we want to have the trust of the American public, let’s be the best service provider. Everything else is noise.”

Sloan writes for the Associated Press.

Justin Herbert is prioritizing on-field execution as the Chargers seek their first win.

That’s why the seventh-year quarterback cut off a reporter’s question about whether the team’s locker room needs heightened vocal leadership as the Chargers carry an 0-2 record into Sunday’s road game against the unbeaten Buffalo Bills.

“I think I’m going to stop you right there,” Herbert said. “We’ve got great leadership on this team. I trust those guys in that locker room, so I don’t think anyone has panicked or worried because that’s not going to do us any good.

“It’s [about] moving on to the next play and understanding we’re close, we made mistakes, how do we fix it and how do we move on?”

Herbert’s intense messaging was surprising. The quarterback usually speaks in emotionless platitudes during news conferences.

But that response, or leadership — a trait teammates and coaches see far more from Herbert than the public — is one of several reasons why the Chargers are supporting their quarterback despite the offense’s sloppy start to the season.

“Ain’t anybody giving up on anything,” wide receiver Tre’ Harris said. “Everybody’s still on the same page. Everybody has extreme belief in 10 — I know I do — and extreme belief in [offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel] as well. We’ll go out there and do what we need to do.”

The Chargers are averaging just 14 points per game, above only the winless Miami Dolphins (13) and the 1-1 Pittsburgh Steelers (11.5).

And Herbert is partially responsible.

He ranks 27th in completion percentage (59.3%) through two weeks and is 23rd in passing yards (401) with the second-most interceptions (3).

“By default, Justin blames himself,” McDaniel said.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jordan Burch on Sept. 13.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Herbert just hasn’t looked comfortable in yet another new scheme. But, as usual with him, context is key.

With a revolving door at left guard and rookie Jake Slaughter starting at center, the Chargers have allowed the league’s second-highest pressure rate (45.5%), according to Pro Football Focus.

Herbert’s pass-catchers have been inconsistent, too, struggling with pre-snap communication, frustrating — sometimes comical — drops and, of course, injuries.

The offense overall is having too many fumbles (7), penalties (15 for 109 yards) and other self-inflicted wounds. So while Herbert’s stats aren’t pretty, the Chargers’ woes go beyond his performances.

They have Herbert’s back, though, as they collectively sort things out.

“He’s been locked in [and] dialed in, man,” safety Derwin James Jr. said. “He’s working hard in the weight room [and] making all his throws out there. So, I can’t wait to try to get him some stops on Sunday.”

Then, there’s the McDaniel factor.

He admitted that he thought the Chargers would score more than 28 points thus far. As a result, he is considering “everything” moving forward, including shrinking the playbook.

McDaniel added that he and Herbert are “much closer” than they were two weeks ago as they work through the offensive struggles.

“It can be a lonely world as a starting quarterback — that’s a franchise quarterback — when you have successive losses,” McDaniel said. “It can be lonely as a playcaller [or] offensive coordinator. And the only way to approach it is that you’re not alone.”

The Chargers and their turbulent offense are on the verge of starting 0-3 for the first time since 2017.

Many outsiders are looking to Herbert to save the franchise from an abysmal season not many projected.

But to those in the building? They just want Herbert to be Herbert.

“One thing that separates him from a lot of other leaders … he’s the same person, each and every day, consistently great at everything he does,” said reserve quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

After all, when Herbert’s comfortable, he’s arguably among the league’s top signal-callers.

“Since I’ve been with Justin, there’s not a thing I’d change about Justin,” coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Taking your peers into battle every week requires leadership that inspires respect and admiration. Orange Lutheran High’s star offensive lineman Lucas Rhoa has figured out the perfect formula to achieve that.

The senior Texas commit is easily noticeable before, during and after a game. He leads the team in warmups, conducting their every move. If he jumps up, so does every other player. If he waves his arms this way and that, you bet his teammates follow.

It’s the perfect hype up to get Orange Lutheran in the mood to win.

Rhoa has earned that respect partly because he reminds opponents on a weekly basis that they need to hit the weight room. Sometimes Orange Lutheran will put Rhoa in motion after the snap, blocking multiple players to create a hole for the run game. On passing plays he’ll face off one on one against the outside defensive lineman, and he stops them in their tracks.

During the game, if he isn’t on the field, Rhoa can be seen giving encouragement to every player. In a recent win against Chandler (Ariz.) Basha there were two moments that exemplified this.

First, when Orange Lutheran’s punter pinned Basha inside its own three-yard line, Rhoa was the first to come off the sidelines and get excited for his teammate. On the flip side, when a teammate’s holding penalty negated a 20-yard run, the big man was sympathetic. Rhoa gave a head pat and some words of encouragement and ran back to the line for the next play.

“There’s no room to get caught up on anything,” Rhoa said. “If you’re getting caught up on a play then you’re three steps behind. You just gotta forget.”

To Rhoa, his star quality and mentality are non-negotiables of the job. His offensive line coach, Chris Ward, is less humble when talking about his best player.

“He’s been extremely dominant individually and he’s really grown as a leader,” Ward said. “We have some young guys in there, it’s their first time playing varsity football. He’s kept his composure and really let those guys grow.”

Rhoa has shown his skill level and leadership against a bevy of highly ranked opponents so far this season, but his toughest task may come against a player who has seen his best traits firsthand.

Orange Lutheran, which is 3-1 after shutting out Gardena Serra 35-0, is next playing Sierra Canyon, where former teammate and senior defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou now plies his trade.

Sierra Canyon has started the season 3-0, with a big 41-21 opening-weekend win against JSerra, which has won three straight since. Rhoa spoke on the potential matchup against Fakatou.

“I’ve seen him the most out of anybody,” Rhoa said. “We used to go against each other every day at practice. But it’s just another game for me.”

Fakatou is committed to Ohio State and, given its recent rivalry with Texas, this isn’t likely to be the last time he and Rhoa meet.

Fakatou is listed at 6 feet 7, 285 pounds while Rhoa is 6-5, 295. When they hit each other, the collision might create the force of an atomic bomb or at least a high speed car crash.

Richard Wesley and Trey Brown of Sierra Canyon combine for one of seven sacks against Orange Lutheran last season, when the Trailblazers won 41-9.

(Craig Weston)

The key to victory for either Orange Lutheran or Sierra Canyon may come down to this matchup. There could be more joy for Fakatou lining up against the other side of the offensive line, but Rhoa is as mobile as they come and will certainly try to find a way to put his former teammate on the ground.

Ward said that both players are likely to make great plays, and that his offensive line can’t be frustrated if Fakatou hits somebody for a loss. Like Rhoa said, they have to move on to the next play right when the whistle blows. “There’s never a thought of ‘oh, I got beat!’ It’s out of the mind,” he said. Head coach Ray Fenton said that his team goes as Rhoa does, and that his leadership will be the key to a great season beyond just the Sierra Canyon matchup.

“One of the best [leaders] I’ve been around in my many years of coaching,” he said. “He says it with his words but most importantly he says it with his own actions …It makes life easier as a coach.

The Times has Sierra Canyon ranked as the fourth best team in the Southern Section and Orange Lutheran ranked as No. 5. But Rhoa doesn’t care who lines up across from him, the goal is always the same: to dominate.

“At the end of the day [the opponents] are just humans,” Rhoa said. “However many stars they have, it’s just football.”

WASHINGTON — A federal judge has ruled that a plan by the Trump administration to slash staffing at the federal agency tasked with responding to disasters by 50% was unlawful.

The opinion issued late Friday marked a victory for labor groups who had sued the agency. The labor organizations had argued that plans by the Department of Homeland Security, which was then led by Secretary Kristi Noem, violated congressional protections that were designed to safeguard the independence of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The issue of the FEMA staffing was part of a much larger lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees and other labor groups, contesting efforts by the Trump administration to slash the federal workforce.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston wrote in her opinion that top Homeland Security officials late last year directed FEMA’s leadership to submit a staffing plan that included a 50% staffing cut even though the agency’s own supervisors objected.

“Frankly, the FEMA staffing plan number appears as if pulled from thin air,” wrote Illston.

FEMA responded in a statement late Saturday saying that while it does not comment on personnel matters and ongoing litigation, “DHS and FEMA are ready for the 2026 hurricane season.”

“We’re ensuring workforce stability and a strong, deployable force for upcoming national events and potential disasters; making the agency leaner, faster and laser-focused on supporting state, local, tribal and territorial partners before, during and after disasters,” the statement said. “FEMA continues to maintain a roster of experienced leadership and support staff across headquarters and regional offices.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In the opinion, Illston wrote that it was clear that the government violated rules established after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina that put decisions on staffing levels squarely in the hands of FEMA, not the Department of Homeland Security, and that prevented Homeland Security from “substantially” reducing the “functions” of FEMA.

Illston didn’t order a specific remedy to carry out her opinion but directed the two sides to meet and decide on a course of relief.

Although FEMA has experienced terminations, the 50% staffing cuts ultimately were not carried out. In recent months, after top leadership changes at FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, the agency has rehired some staffers who were let go.

FEMA was one of the agencies targeted for staff reductions in the federal government as part of a broad Trump administration plan to reduce the size of government. The embattled agency has been buffeted by mass staff departures, disruptions of grant programs and delays of disaster aid.

In May, a Trump-appointed FEMA Review Council submitted a final report recommending sweeping changes to how the agency supports states, tribes and territories in disaster.

The final version backed away from the recommendation to cut the FEMA workforce by 50%, which was included in a December 2025 draft reviewed by the Associated Press.

The council instead recommended the agency conduct a “strategic review” to determine “appropriate staffing levels.”

In an August report, the Government Accountability Office said it found that the departures of thousands of staff in 2025 resulted in a “loss of institutional knowledge and experienced personnel” and “exacerbated longstanding workforce challenges.”

More than 4,300 employees, or about 17% of FEMA’s workforce, separated from the agency in the 2025 budget year, with over 1,500 through voluntary reductions. The agency also made about 2,900 new hires.

The GAO recently recommended to Congress that it “consider requiring” FEMA to base “significant workforce decisions” on a more strategic planning process.

Without it, the GAO found, “FEMA cannot be assured that the agency is positioned to effectively meet its mission needs.”

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

JEDDAH: The 11th Scientific Assembly of the Saudi Society of Emergency Medicine opened in Jeddah on Saturday, bringing together leading experts, specialists and practitioners from Saudi Arabia and abroad.

Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health until Sept. 14, the event explores the latest practices and innovations, and discusses challenges facing practitioners and the future of the specialty.

This year’s theme, “NextGen EM,” reflects the conference’s focus on supporting the next generation of emergency physicians and practitioners by strengthening their scientific and professional capabilities and connecting them with experienced specialists.

The opening event featured a visual presentation highlighting the importance of emergency medicine, followed by another examining the development and future of the specialty in the Kingdom.

Assistant Minister of Health for Health Services Dr. Mohammed Al-Abdulaali highlighted the rapid development of emergency care and the growing role of technology in the field.

“Emergency departments are among the most rapidly evolving areas of healthcare. Today, one of the first questions being addressed is: What role does artificial intelligence play in emergency medicine?” he said.

“The advances in content, subject matter and technology did not happen by chance. We must advance the science we practice in Saudi Arabia.

“Our role should not be limited to learning, adopting and harnessing knowledge to care for people. We must also play a leading role in contributing to that knowledge, innovating within the field and taking it into new frontiers.”

Addressing emergency department staff, he said: “No one else can truly experience what you do. Words cannot adequately express the importance of your work. You are privileged to care for these lives, and they are fortunate to be in your hands.”

Dr. Roaa Jamjoom, chairperson of the society and a consultant in pediatric emergency medicine, told Arab News that this year’s assembly stood out for its focus on both the present and future of emergency medicine.

“What distinguishes the 11th Scientific Assembly is that we do not only discuss the current state of emergency medicine, but also look ahead to its future,” she said.

“We were keen to bring together the experience of established practitioners and the ambitions of the next generation, while creating opportunities for young professionals to learn, participate and contribute.”

Jamjoom said the gathering also provided a space for exchanging knowledge and strengthening professional connections among practitioners and specialists from different backgrounds.

“NextGen EM reflects our belief that younger professionals are not simply waiting for the future of emergency medicine. They are already helping to shape it,” she added.

Prof. Jameel Abualenain, the society’s president, said: “NextGen EM is not only about the next generation of emergency physicians; it is about the next generation of emergency medicine itself.

“Over the years, the society has grown alongside our specialty. What began as a professional society has become a community that brings together different generations, disciplines and colleagues from across Saudi Arabia and beyond.”

He said the assembly celebrated the society’s journey while looking ahead to the future of emergency medicine. “Every generation inherits something from the one before it: knowledge, experience, standards and, sometimes, challenges.

“Our responsibility is to make sure that the generation after us inherits something better: better emergency care, better education, better science and stronger leadership.”

Addressing younger practitioners, he said: “NextGen EM is not a future you are waiting to enter. You are already part of building it.”

He added that experienced professionals also had a responsibility to open doors, share their knowledge, create opportunities and give the next generation the confidence and space to lead.

“That, to me, is what NextGen EM represents,” he said.

Following the opening ceremony, Al-Abdulaali toured the accompanying exhibition and visited the participating exhibitors’ stands.

Life has never been fond of repetition.

Nature itself seems to resist it. No two leaves are exactly alike, no two fingerprints are identical, and even no two sunsets unfold in precisely the same way, nor does the sky ever paint itself twice in quite the same colors.

The same is true of siblings who grow up beneath the same roof, gather around the same table and receive the same upbringing. They still differ in temperament, in the way they think, in how they respond to the world and even in the dreams they choose to follow. It is as though difference is not an exception to the order of life, but one of its most enduring laws.

And yet, we spend so much of our lives searching for a single formula that will work for everyone: one approach to raising every child, one method for teaching every student, one key to every relationship and one way of leading every team.

We often forget that human beings do not come with instruction manuals. There is no guide explaining how to understand a person, what moves them, what holds them back, or how best to reach them.

A human being has never been an equation whose results can simply be repeated. This may be why dealing with people tests our humility more than almost anything else. It asks us to accept that we will never understand everything; that what pleases one person may unsettle another; that the same words may comfort one heart and wound another; and that silence may feel like respect to one person, yet like neglect for someone else.

Perhaps this is what makes leadership one of the most complex of human experiences. Plans can be revised; processes can be improved; goals can be measured. People, however, cannot be understood through ready-made templates or managed by a single manual.

For all the leadership theories, studies and practices we have accumulated, one truth remains both simple and profound: a human being is always too complex to be reduced to a formula or an equation.

One of the greatest mistakes a leader can make is to use the self as the measure of everyone else: to assume that what motivates us will motivate them, that what convinces us will convince them and that what seems clear to us must surely be clear to everyone around us.

But people rarely work that way.

The leaders who leave the deepest mark are often those who learn to adapt to the differences between people without compromising their principles or lowering their standards. And once we understand this, we begin to understand something else: influence does not begin with changing people. It begins with understanding them.

Perhaps, then, the deeper lesson of leadership is not how to manage others, but how to master ourselves and learn to understand them.

It teaches us patience before judgment, listening before offering solutions, and the humility to set aside our assumptions long enough for another person to reveal who they truly are. Each new personality challenges an old belief. Each encounter reminds us, in a different way, that life was never meant to be navigated by a single formula.

For all the leadership theories, studies and practices we have accumulated, one truth remains both simple and profound: a human being is always too complex to be reduced to a formula or an equation.

That is why leadership, at its core, is an inner journey, one shaped by self-mastery, understanding, and the willingness to accept people as they are.

• Asma Al-Janahi is a UAE national with more than 10 years’ management experience in government excellence and the sports sector. She writes about management and social life.

Sept. 8, 2026 11:29 AM PT

WASHINGTON — Lonnie Bunch is stepping down from the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution following a tumultuous year in which President Trump tried to remake the portrayal of U.S. history by the Smithsonian museums and other cultural entities.

Bunch said in a news release Tuesday that he was departing the position he had held since 2019 “with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude.” The Smithsonian said he would leave the post at the end of the year.

Bunch’s departure comes two months after a White House report branded the leaders of the Smithsonian Institution, especially at the National Museum of American History, as radical activists who cannot be trusted, an indication that Trump could be preparing to install his own team.

Anthea M. Hartig, the first female director of that museum, faced growing scrutiny from Trump and other Republicans over the summer after the White House Domestic Policy Council’s report saying the museum’s leadership doesn’t tell history “in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic.”

Three weeks after the report’s release, Trump ordered his administration to install signs in front of the U.S. history museum telling visitors that some of the exhibits are inaccurate. Hartig pushed back, telling lawmakers during congressional hearings that the report “does not fairly or accurately characterize the full body of work at the museum.”

There had been speculation that firings were in the offing. Trump doesn’t have the power to fire leaders at the Smithsonian with the swiftness he’s managed at other top cultural institutions in Washington, most notably the Kennedy Center, where a board of his supporters named him chairman.

The Smithsonian operates outside the executive branch and museum directors report to Bunch, who is subject to oversight from a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and so-called citizen regents.

Roberts, who serves as Smithsonian’s chancellor, said in a release that Bunch had “pursued excellence in the telling of our nation’s story.”

The White House did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

The Smithsonian has been under examination by the Trump administration since 2025 as it has focused on the images and messages presented to the public as the nation approached its 250th anniversary.

A March 2025 executive order, Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, led to signs being changed at federal parks, exhibits being altered or in some cases removed, and military bases being renamed. Trump specifically cited the National Museum of African American History and Culture and argued that the Smithsonian as a whole was engaging in a “concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history.”

Several months later, the White House ordered a wide-ranging review of the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions before the country’s 250th birthday, with a goal of aligning the institution’s content with Trump’s interpretation of American history.

In a letter sent to Bunch at the time, the White House detailed the steps it expected the organization to take as part of the announced review. The examination is of all public-facing content, including social media, exhibition text and educational materials, to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals,” according to the letter.

That review initially focused on eight museums — 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 National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Kinnard and Fields write for the Associated Press. Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C.