Jillian Michaels Clashes With CNN Panel Over Smithsonian Exhibit Review

Fitness personality Jillian Michaels challenged fellow guests during an Aug. 14 CNN segment that examined the Trump administration’s review of Smithsonian Institution exhibits ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary. Responding to criticism that the White House is “whitewashing” history, Michaels said the president is not downplaying slavery and argued that the institution’s current displays overly attribute imperialism and slavery to white Americans. Michaels told Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky and Rep. Ritchie Torres that slavery predates the United States and was practiced worldwide, pointing to estimates that fewer than 2 percent of white Americans owned slaves before the Civil War. Torres countered that U.S. slavery was rooted in white supremacy, while Roginsky said re-framing exhibits risks minimizing the oppression of Black Americans. The heated exchange highlights growing partisan tensions over how federal museums present race, gender and other social issues as the administration drafts guidelines for the Smithsonian ahead of the 2026 semiquincentennial celebrations.