Nancy Mace grills Smithsonian director on gender at House hearing

Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, seemed stunned by a basic question about sex and gender from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.

During a House hearing on alleged “extreme political activism” on display at the Smithsonian, Mace asked Hartig, “Do you believe men can become women?” he asked.

Hartig hesitated before answering: “Ma’am, as the museum director, this has nothing to do with this case.”

“Very relevant,” Mace replied. Pointing to images from the Smithsonian’s exhibitions featuring transvestites, Mace continued: “There are men dressed as women, and you display them in front of children. Do you think men can be women? Yes or no?”

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Hartig did not answer the question, but instead began discussing one of the drag queen acts depicted on the billboard behind Mace. The congressman interrupted him.

“What is a woman, Dr. Hartig?” Mace asked.

Hartig began to answer, “As a director and historian, that’s my…” Mace interrupted him again: “You’ve sexualized the Museum of American History. So that’s a fair question. What is a woman?”

Looking down for a moment, Hartig responded: “We’re trying to represent all Americans, not categorize them.”

“Okay, I have another question for you,” Mace continued. “The museum has a glossary that informs visitors that American culture has traditionally recognized two genders, while other countries have recognized three or more.”

“So, enlighten me this morning: how many genders are there?” Mace asked.

Hartig said, “Ma’am, which dictionary?” He hesitated once more before asking.

“This is an exhibit, and there’s a dictionary in it that says other countries recognize three or more genders. So today I want you to enlighten me; you are the director of the Museum of American History, someone who does sexualized things in front of children. I want to know, I want to ask you, how many genders are there?”

Finally, Hartig replied, “I’m not sure which dictionary you’re talking about,” and then added: “I’m happy to get back to you about this dictionary.”

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National Museum of American History Director Dr. Anthea Hartig is sworn in during the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee hearing on Ensuring Government Efficiency held on Capitol Hill on July 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Mace pressed further and said, “In one of your exhibits at the American History Museum, it is said that sometimes gender is not revealed at birth. So when is gender revealed?”

“When was your gender revealed to you, Dr. Hartig?” he added.

Hartig replied with a smile: “I don’t think that has much to do with the conversation.”

“This is relevant. You have an exhibit at the Museum of American History that talks about ‘Gender is not always revealed at birth.’ So when was your gender revealed?” Mace insisted.

Before Mace gave the floor to the committee chair, Hartig began to answer by saying, “Because I’m a doctoral student…”

Earlier this month, a sweeping White House report concluded that the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History had become an institution of taxpayer-supported “ideological capture” and “extreme political activism.”

According to the 162-page report “Restoring Truth and Sanity in American History,” presented July 4, 2026, the National Museum of American History treats the American story as a political tool rather than a shared national heritage.

“The report concludes that the Smithsonian Institution, and particularly the National Museum of American History, under its current leadership and current interpretive ideology, cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and befitting our great republic,” the White House Domestic Policy Council said in its July 4 report, which followed President Donald Trump’s March 27 executive order. he wrote. “At the intent and direction of current Museum and Smithsonian leadership, NMAH has been subject to institutional takeover by a radical, activist ideology that is fundamentally opposed to telling the noble, honest story of the great country we know and love.”

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The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is being called out for being ‘ideologically hijacked’ and evoking revisionist history on the weekend of America’s 250th birthday. (Kevin Carter)

The report’s executive summary began: “At the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, visitors young and old should encounter the story of the United States told with honesty, seriousness, and pride.” “Specifically, it should help the American people understand where America comes from, what makes it different, and why it is worth preserving.”

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“The Smithsonian takes seriously the concerns raised in the White House Domestic Policy Council’s report, and while we continue to fact-check the report, we unhesitatingly affirm that it does not fairly or accurately describe the entire body of work at the museum,” Hartig said in his opening statement.

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He said that “the Museum does not take sides in America’s political debates,” but rather, “We preserve and document the full breadth of the evidence of American life so that the public can confront the past and draw its own conclusions.”

“There is always room for improvement, but I also recognize the beauty, inspiration and expertise that lies in our collections, exhibitions and programming,” Hartig said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Smithsonian Institution for additional comment.

Fox News Digital’s Eric Mack contributed to this report.