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.”
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.
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.”
The Smithsonian’s 21 museums contain numerous exhibits covering a wide array of topics. Among them are the nation’s history with slavery, technological advancements in space and flight, America’s various military campaigns and the evolution of the entertainment industry.
The Smithsonian came under scrutiny earlier this month after it removed a display that highlighted Trump’s impeachment cases. The display at the National Museum of American History was later restored and updated version with information about Trump’s impeachments.
Trump has used the power of the presidency to target numerous institutions he disagrees with during his second term so far, including colleges and universities and law firms.
Updated at 6:49 p.m. EDT
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