President Donald Trump has pressured the Smithsonian Institution to alter its museum narratives to align with his Make America Great Again (MAGA) agenda. The Smithsonian, which oversees 21 museums, has faced criticism from the Trump administration for exhibits focusing heavily on the negative aspects of American history, such as slavery. Ahead of the America 250 celebration, the administration conducted a review aimed at reshaping museum content, which critics argue could politicize historical memory. Controversy arose when the Smithsonian removed references to Trump's impeachments, attributing it to a design issue but facing public backlash and promising corrective action. The White House also released a list of Smithsonian exhibits it objects to, citing concerns over "woke ideology." Commentators have expressed concern that the Smithsonian is shifting away from portraying America's achievements toward emphasizing themes of systemic oppression and supremacist history.
OPINION | "The Smithsonian, which should be telling the story of America’s greatness, seems to have been obsessed with rewriting U.S. history so that it is seen as a catalog of supremacist oppression." 📝 @KarinaLMariani https://t.co/L4d7YKSrwY
Outrageous concealment effort of the Trump administration. https://t.co/KzTdpe8OXY
The White House released a list of Smithsonian exhibits and items it objects to due to what it says is “woke ideology.” https://t.co/UrliKlvVDW