Trump’s Smithsonian Showdown
President Donald Trump, in his current term, has escalated his criticism of the Smithsonian Institution’s handling of slavery and racial history. He claims the museums focus too much on America’s darkest chapters and not enough on its “brightness” and “success.” This conflict arises as the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, a moment the administration aims to frame as a story of unity and exceptionalism.
President Donald Trump has been vocal on his Truth Social platform and through official White House communications about what he calls the Smithsonian museums being “out of control.” In multiple posts in August 2025, Trump criticized the institution for focusing too heavily on “how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been.” He asserted that the museums say “nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.”
Trump declared:
“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL. 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 further instructed his attorneys to undertake a review of the Smithsonian’s museum content, calling for the same process he imposed on colleges and universities that led to “tremendous progress.” Trump claimed,
“This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums.”
This is part of a wider White House review ordered earlier in August 2025, which directives include ensuring exhibits “reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story” and removing “divisive or partisan narratives.” Vice President J.D. Vance and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum have been tasked with overseeing this review.
However, the Smithsonian Institution is an independent entity governed by a Board of Regents. Many historians warn these moves risk sanitizing or whitewashing America’s history. Douglas Brinkley, presidential historian, called Trump’s criticisms “utterly foolish,” emphasizing that confronting the history of slavery is fundamental to the nation’s collective story.
Spike Lee Reacts to The POTUS Smithsonian Orders
Why the Smithsonian Matters to America’s Story
The Smithsonian is more than just a collection of museums. It serves as America’s official memory bank, preserving artifacts and stories that shape how the country’s history is understood by both citizens and the world. Exhibitions on slavery, civil rights, and racial injustice are critical to telling the full story of America.
Trump’s current push to review and reshape Smithsonian exhibits is not simple censorship. It represents an effort to influence who gets to tell America’s story and how that story is told going forward.
The central question is this: Who defines what it means to be an American? Is the nation’s history told only through stories of triumph or does it include confronting brutal realities like slavery and systemic racism that continue to affect society today?
Trump frames his actions as a pushback against “woke” history, labeling Smithsonian narratives as divisive and unpatriotic. But at its heart, this reflects resistance to uncomfortable truths that contradict traditional patriotic narratives.
Following Trump’s statements, the White House officially notified Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III about an internal review. This review aims to ensure exhibits align with the administration’s vision of American exceptionalism and to remove content that may be seen as politically divisive.
This battle extends beyond museums and affects schools, public spaces, and government institutions. There is a serious risk that history becomes sanitized, turning complex realities into uncontroversial versions that fail to acknowledge past injustices and limit meaningful progress.
Reparations and the Real Reckoning
The way slavery is remembered is deeply connected to current debates on reparations for descendants of enslaved individuals. Trump’s efforts to minimize slavery’s impact avoid addressing the larger issue of justice and systemic equity.
Reparations are more than financial compensation—they represent a critical recognition of ongoing harm and a commitment to healing, supported by institutions like the Smithsonian through honest storytelling. Ignoring or softening history delays this essential national conversation.
Nikole Hannah-Jones Drops Truth Bombs in Response to Jillian Michaels
Nikole Hannah-Jones’s drops BARS in response to Jillian M.
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Amid this cultural fight, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones pushed back strongly in a recent Instagram video. She directly responded to Jillian Michaels’s remarks on CNN, where Michaels questioned expert narratives and downplayed the significance of slavery.
Hannah-Jones called out this spread of misinformation as a threat to truth and democracy. She emphasized the “death of expertise” and the urgent need for factual, nuanced history in a time when soundbites and social media distortions threaten the foundation of American democracy.
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