Restoring truth and sanity to American history.

That is what President Trump says he wants to do.

And an executive order with that title accuses the Smithsonian Institution and other museums

of promoting, quote, narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.

It's one of several recent actions targeting the arts and agencies,

like the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Last night, senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown spoke to Yale historian David Blight,

a critic of the president's moves.

Tonight, he gets a different view for our series, Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy and part of our canvas coverage.

Joining me now is Christopher Scalia. He's senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on culture, literature, and higher education.

A former English professor, he's author of the upcoming book,

13 novels Conservatives will love, but probably haven't read.

Thank you so much for joining us.

So the president has been critical of what he calls a revisionist movement

in how American history and culture are portrayed. Do you agree with that, and where do you see it?

Thanks for having me, Jeff. It's great to talk to you.

I think that the president has a point.

The point isn't that historians can't revise how we understand America's past,

but really the point is to push back against this movement

in museums and elsewhere that focuses on the shortcomings, flaws, and mistakes of America

and its past. Certainly, there are some, but I think the president is trying to get museums

and educators to focus, not ignore those,

...