Trump sparks outrage with attack on the Smithsonian's portrayal of slavery

President Donald Trump has ignited a fresh storm of criticism after directing sharp attacks at the Smithsonian Institution, accusing its museums of amplifying negative narratives about slaveryand neglecting America’s achievements.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump complained that Smithsonian museums were “out of control” and fixated on “how bad slavery was” rather than showcasing the nation’s successes. He revealed that his legal team had been instructed to begin a review of the institution, mirroring steps his administration had taken with universities.

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Trump warned that funding could be at stake if changes were not made, writing: “President Trump will explore all options and avenues to get the woke out of the Smithsonian and hold them accountable.”

He added, “This country cannot be woke, because woke is broke.”

The President’s remarks immediately drew condemnation. Former Republican congressman Joe Walsh responded by questioning whether Trump was now seeking to portray slavery in a favourable light.

Democratic representative Yvette Clarke posted on BlueSky: “History is woke! Facts are woke! Museums are woke! Democracy is woke! Truth is woke! Ignorance? Not woke!”

Imagine being so fragile that teaching slavery makes you feel attacked. The country isn’t bad because museums teach slavery. It’s bad because people like Trump refuse to learn from it. pic.twitter.com/dY54UnGKyP

— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) August 19, 2025

There is the small matter of museums generally being meant to preserve the past, and not focus on the future — except in the very specific instance of a museum of cutting edge science, perhaps. But not too many netizens picked up on that.

Fact-checker Daniel Dale dismissed Trump’s claims as “categorically false,” noting that Smithsonian exhibitions already highlight the nation’s progress and achievements alongside difficult chapters of its past.

The Organisation of American Historians too voiced “deep concern and dismay” at what it described as political interference in cultural institutions.

If Trump thinks slavery wasn’t bad, he clearly needs to spend more time in a museum.

Anyone who thinks there’s ANYTHING GOOD about enslaving human beings has no business running ANY country…much less the world’s most influential democracy.

Outrageous and un-American. pic.twitter.com/pO6mVapbup

— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) August 19, 2025

Trump is attacking the Smithsonian museum, saying there’s too much focus on "how bad slavery was."

Authoritarians know that if they can convince us our country has never been wrong, they can make us believe our ruler is always right.

Be warned. pic.twitter.com/9Xm8GUvIBa

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) August 19, 2025

Still, some conservatives defended the POTUS.

Political strategist Scott Jennings argued that Trump was challenging the same movement that had pushed for the removal of statues linked to slavery, accusing critics of attempting to erase history.

The clash follows Trump’s interventions in other cultural bodies, including the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. Reports have surfaced that the centre’s opera house could even be renamed in honour of First Lady Melania Trump.

The controversy underscores the growing tension between the White House and America’s leading cultural and academic institutions, with Trump signalling he is prepared to wield funding as leverage in what he has framed as a battle against “woke” ideology.

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