In his extensive campaign to whitewash history and attack “woke” content, President Donald Trump has indicated that he is now turning his attention to the Smithsonian museums. But as Trump kicks off a review of Smithsonian content, it appears that the museums may have begun preemptively removing content months earlier.
Trump puts Smithsonian museums under scrutiny
As Blavity previously reported, Trump has turned his attention to the Smithsonian in recent weeks, initiating a comprehensive review of the museums’ exhibits and content to make sure they align with the president’s view of American history. The New York Times indicated that the Smithsonian was given 120 days to alter exhibits that the administration finds objectionable in “tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals.” But there are now indications that the Smithsonian may have started changing its content months ago. The Independent indicated that, after Trump issued a March executive order to “restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness,” the museum began reviewing and, in some cases, removing items and exhibits.
Removal of items from Smithsonian arouse suspicion of Trump influence
The report pointed to an NBC News story published in May; the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture had removed over 30 items, including Harriet Tubman’s hymn book, the autobiographical Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and a diary of the lawyer who helped free Solomon Northup, the enslaved man whose story was told in 12 Years a Slave, all of which had been on loan to the museum. At the time, the Smithsonian denied that outside pressure was responsible for the removals, stating on its website, “Claims that objects have been removed for reasons other than adherence to standard loan agreements or museum practices are false.” However, several people associated with the removed items questioned the official explanation. For example, Northup’s great-great-granddaughter, Liz Brazelton, noted that the diary she lent to the museum was returned early; word of the removal came weeks before Trump’s March executive order, raising Brazelton’s suspicion that the museum may have known it was under scrutiny at the time. Others reported similar abrupt removals of items they had donated, which the museum said were being rotated out of display.
Trump attacks Smithsonian for emphasizing that slavery was bad
These incidents suggest that Trump’s pressure campaign against the Smithsonian may have impacted the museums earlier than many people realize. Trump doubled down on his intentions toward the museums in a recent social media post. In the message initially posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump complained that “the Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of “WOKE.” He singled out the Smithsonian museums, “where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been.” After complaining about the museums highlighting that slavery was bad, Trump announced, “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’s prolonged campaign against the Smithsonian is thus part of a larger campaign to whitewash American history. Having targeted universities, as well as libraries and national parks, Trump seems to be increasing pressure on the nation’s top museums in order to rewrite American history.
