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President Donald Trump slammed the Smithsonian museums as "too woke," adding that they're overly focused on "how bad slavery was" amid his review of the institution.
“The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of 'WOKE.' 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," Trump wrote Tuesday (August 19) on Truth Social, per USA Today.
“There’s nothing about success, nothing about brightness, nothing about the future,” he continued. “We are not going to allow this to happen.”
“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," Trump added.
Last week, the Trump administration launched a formal review of the Smithsonian Institution's museums, aiming to remove any "divisive or partisan" content that doesn't align with the president's historical vision.
Federal funding makes up roughly 62 percent of the Smithsonian’s budget. The museums being reviewed include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which features extensive exhibits on slavery, segregation, and the civil rights movement, the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Last week's letter sent to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III said the Smithsonian Institution must begin “content corrections where necessary,” replacing “divisive or ideologically driven language” with material that is “unifying, historically accurate, and constructive.”
In response, the Smithsonian issued a statement reaffirming its “deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history.”
The administration’s review is expected to conclude in early 2026 ahead of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
Social media users slammed Trump over his latest comments downplaying slavery and suggesting that it wasn't as "bad" as it has been portrayed.
"Ummm...What were the good parts of slavery, MAGA?" one person wrote.
"Trump wants to cover up slavery like it’s in the Epstein files," another user said.
"Slavery WAS bad, Donald. It’s absurd that this even needs to be said. We don’t whitewash history; we learn from it. You keep trying to rewrite the past— @TheBlackCaucus won’t let you get away with it," Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove wrote.
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