Trump complains Smithsonian too fixated on ‘how bad slavery was’

by Brett Samuels – 08/19/25 3:37

Is this surprising? Surely it will help with the black vote in 2026 and 2028. Nawh!

President Trump on Tuesday complained that the Smithsonian museums in Washington were “out of control” with content that painted the country in a negative light, including about slavery.

“The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of ‘WOKE,’” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” he added.

“We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made,” Trump wrote. “This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE.”

Rep. Joe Morelle (R-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Smithsonian, hit back at Trump, saying “‘How bad slavery was’ is exactly what someone who has never been to a museum would say.”

NN: White House unveils details for EU trade deal

The White House last week launched a review of the Smithsonian museums to bring them into “alignment” with Trump’s directive to “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”

The letter instructed eight of the Smithsonian’s museums — including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of American History, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of the American Indian — to replace exhibits that include “divisive or ideologically driven” material with “unifying, historically accurate” content.

Sign up for the Morning Report

The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox.

By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use, have reviewed the Privacy Policy, and to receive personalized offers and communications via email, on-site notifications, and targeted advertising using my email address from The Hill, Nexstar Media Inc., and its affiliates

In a statement, the Smithsonian said its work “is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history.”

2 thoughts on “Trump complains Smithsonian too fixated on ‘how bad slavery was’

Leave a reply to Leroy Seat Cancel reply