Rep. Fallon questions Smithsonian NMAH Director Hartig on 250th exhibits and US history focus
The clip shows Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) questioning Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, during a July 21, 2026 House Oversight subcommittee hearing on how the museum presents US history. Fallon asks about her salary, taxpayer funding, personal love for America, view of the US as a force for good and greatest nation, staff directives on social issues, and new 250th anniversary exhibits on founders versus a pride display. Hartig affirms loving America and the US as a force for good while noting limits on 'greatest nation' judgment. She denies directing exhibits around seven social issues and states the museum features Washington, Jefferson, and inventors, including in a new 250th display. The segment draws from the Republican-led hearing prompted by a White House report criticizing the museum's approach.
Source: The Scoop