President Trump complains 'woke' Smithsonian is too focused on 'how bad slavery was'
- - President Trump complains 'woke' Smithsonian is too focused on 'how bad slavery was'
Joey Garrison, USA TODAY August 19, 2025 at 11:20 PM
WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump said the Smithsonian museums in Washington are too fixated on "how bad slavery was" and other negative aspects of United States history as he promised to take aim at the "WOKE" elements inside them.
Trump's remarks, made in an Aug. 19 social media post on Truth Social, came after he last week launched a review of the Smithsonian Institution and its 21 museums to remove "divisive or partisan" elements and determine whether its materials conformed to the Trump administration's views on teaching history.
"The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE,' " Trump said in his post. "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."
More: Trump administration launches Smithsonian review to remove 'divisive' materials
Trump added that the Smithsonian museums contain "Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future."
"We are not going to allow this to happen," he said, comparing his review of the Smithsonian Institution to his administration's work to root out diversity, equity and inclusions initiatives from colleges and universities. "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."
Federal funds make up about 62% of the annual budget of the Smithsonian, which is a public-private partnership established by Congress.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture, which the Smithsonian opened in 2016, has comprehensive exhibits on the history of slavery in the United States beginning with the transatlantic slave trade.
Trump's review is set to intially focus on eight Smithsonian museums. The list includes the National Museum of African American History and Culture, as well as the National Museum of American History; National Museum of Natural History; National Museum of the American Indian; National Air and Space Museum; Smithsonian American Art Museum; the National Portrait Gallery; and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
More: Civil rights leaders rally around National Museum of African American History
White House officials announced the review in an Aug. 12 letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, writing that the initiative aims to "ensure alignment with the President's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions."
The letter stated that within 120 days, the Smithsonian is expected to begin making "content corrections where necessary, replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions."
More: Trump’s Smithsonian review will start with 8 out of 21 museums. Which ones?
People walk past the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis
The review will focus on Smithsonian exhibits, along with the process for creating them. It is expected to be completed early next year, which is the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding.
In a statement last week on the White House review, the Smithsonian said it would "continue to collaborate constructively with the White House."
"The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history. We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind," the statement reads.
Contributing: Zac Anderson
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump complains Smithsonian is too focused on 'how bad slavery was'
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