Trump Orders Smithsonian To Review Its 'Negative' Portrayal Of U.S. History
President Trump directed his attorneys on Tuesday to review the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C, which are free to the public, criticizing them as being too “woke” and focused on negative themes like slavery rather than highlighting positive aspects of American history.
A White House official told CNN that the president “will explore all options and avenues to get the Woke out of the Smithsonian and hold them accountable.”
Trump signed an executive order this year that put Vice President JD Vance in charge of ending government spending on exhibits that don’t align with his agenda. He has also assigned aides to look for “improper ideology” at the Smithsonian.
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The move follows the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removing references to Trump’s two impeachments from an exhibit in July, then reinstating them shortly after.
It comes as the Trump administration pushes to “celebrate American exceptionalism” ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday next July 4 — including audits at multiple museum locations.
In March, Trump issued an executive order targeting the museums for their alleged "distorted narrative driven by ideology."
The Trump administration has moved to roll back references to minority groups who achieved historic achievements. At the same time, it’s looking to restore monuments and names that some Americans associate with slavery and racism.
A Central Texas U.S. Army base reverted to its original name — Fort Hood (Not for Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood, but for Col. Robert B. Hood, a World War I officer).
The Pentagon renamed the USNS Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson.
Trump wants Washington’s NFL team to revert to the “Redskins," a name that was considered offensive to Native Americans.
Confederate statues in the D.C. area are being restored.
It’s not the first time members of the modern Republican Party have stirred controversy over slavery. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023 moved to downplay the history of racism in curriculum at his state's schools, even suggesting some Black people benefited from slavery by developing skills.
Bottom line: Trump has long criticized Democrats for using culture wars to change names and remove symbols that they find offensive; while others see them as an important part of American history. He’s now doing the same, just from the opposite vantage point.