Smithsonian Director Grilled, AOC Leaves 2028 Door Open, NJ Reveals Illegal Voters: AM Update 7/22

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**Mark Halpern** (0:33)
Hey, good morning, everyone. I'm Mark Halpern, host of Next Up with Mark Halpern. Filling in today for The Great Megyn Kelly, it's Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026, and this is your AM Update.

**Thea Hartig** (0:43)
We strive to represent all Americans.

**SPEAKER_1** (0:46)
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**Mark Halpern** (0:50)
The director of the Smithsonian's American History Museum grilled on Capitol Hill over accusations she's turned the institution into a showcase for left-wing activism. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leaving the door open to a presidential run in 2028, and the Pentagon identifying three American soldiers killed in the renewed fighting with Iran.

**Mikie Sherrill** (1:12)
A serious software error in New Jersey's motor vehicle system led to the improper voter registration.

**Mark Halpern** (1:20)
And more than 6,000 non-citizens improperly added to New Jersey's voter rolls, with hundreds going on to cast ballots. All that and more coming up here on your AM Update.

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**Mark Halpern** (2:44)
The director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History facing a congressional grilling Tuesday over accusations that she has turned the taxpayer-funded institution into a vehicle for left-wing activism. Republican lawmakers questioning and Thea Hartig during a House oversight delivering on government efficiency or DOGE subcommittee hearing focused on the Smithsonian's presentation of American history. The hearing coming just weeks after the White House published 162-page report accusing the museum of failing to present the nation's heritage in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of the country. The Independence Day report arguing the museum gives insufficient attention to the founding fathers and the nation's founding leaders, while placing an outsized focus on slavery, immigration, woke gender ideology. The Smithsonian receiving more than half of its roughly $1 billion annual budget from federal sources, including money directly appropriated by Congress. President Trump previously signing an executive order directing Vice President JD. Vance and federal budget officials to prevent taxpayer money from supporting exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide the public by race or promote ideologies at odds with federal policy.
Republican Congressman Tim Burchett of Tennessee, who chairs the Doge Subcommittee in his opening statement accusing Hartig of helping move the museum away from its original mission and toward a fixation on race, sexuality, inequality and oppression.

**Tim Burchett** (4:17)
Dr. Hartig proudly takes credit for changing the museum's mission statement, which no longer uses the term American history or refers to the infinite richness of that history. The museum is now guided by an interpretive plan that ensures all topics focus on the core issues of our time. And we want to guess what they are.
Race and identity, gender and sexuality, environmental change, immigration and migrations, and economic inequality top the list. Also, a Center for Restorative Justice at the museum, created under Dr. Hartig's watch, hosted a decolonization working group to investigate historical harms that result in ongoing systematic oppression. To remove any doubt about her intentions, Dr. Hartig, in her own words, states that she views history as a prime tool of social justice.

**Mark Halpern** (5:10)
Republican Congressman Brandon Gill of Texas highlighting some of the more absurd material promoted by the Smithsonian.