ICYMI: Trump Back on the Smithsonian’s Neck
SMH. Donald Trump is back at it again — this time taking aim at the Smithsonian museums. On Tuesday, he hopped on Truth Social with a post claiming the museums are “out of control” and focusing too much on slavery and America’s dark history. To make it even wilder, he says he’s ordered his attorneys to launch a full review.
In his post, Trump wrote,
“The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of ‘WOKE.’ 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. 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. 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 marks yet another chapter in Trump’s ongoing war with institutions he deems “woke.” But here’s the thing — the Smithsonian isn’t just some random collection of exhibits. These museums tell the real story of America, even the parts that hurt.
Why the Smithsonian Museums Matter
The Smithsonian stands as one of the most important cultural and historical institutions in the world. With 21 museums and galleries plus the National Zoo, it holds more than 155 million artifacts documenting the full American experience. Visitors from all over the globe come to D.C. to see everything from the Wright brothers’ airplane to civil rights memorabilia that shaped this nation.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture, in particular, is a vital space for understanding how slavery, segregation, and systemic racism shaped the country. These exhibits highlight the pain, but they also spotlight resilience, culture, and achievement. By focusing on both the horrors and the triumphs, the Smithsonian ensures that America’s story is told honestly.
Stripping away those narratives because they make some people uncomfortable? That’s not history… that’s revision. And for Trump to call that “woke” is more about pushing an agenda than protecting the truth.
Trump’s Push to Rewrite History
Since stepping back into office, Trump has doubled down on culture wars — targeting schools, universities, and now museums. His playbook is simple: label anything that centers race, inequality, or America’s failures as “woke” and call for a crackdown.
Many say this is an attempt to rewrite history and silence voices that have long fought to be included in America’s story. If museums water down or erase discussions of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial injustice, generations to come won’t get the full picture of how far the country has come; and how much work still lies ahead.
What Trump is doing isn’t about balancing the narrative — it’s about reshaping it. And once history gets reshaped to fit a political agenda, the truth becomes the biggest casualty.
Why This Should Concern Everyone
By attacking how the Smithsonian tells that story, Trump risks erasing critical pieces of history in exchange for a glossy, feel-good version of America. And if he succeeds, future generations could be left with a history that looks more like propaganda than truth.
Trump’s latest move against the Smithsonian shows that even museums — the very places built to preserve history — aren’t safe from politics. Trying to erase or downplay slavery doesn’t make America look stronger, it makes the country look scared of its own truth.
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