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Donald Trump criticized US museums for focusing on negative history, like slavery.
US President Donald Trump. (Reuters Image)
US President Donald Trump accused American museums of focusing disproportionately on the darker chapters of the nation’s past- including “how bad slavery was.” In a post on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump said he had instructed his attorneys to review the country’s museums, comparing the move to his ongoing crackdown on universities.
“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,” Donald Trump wrote.
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Sweeping Review Of Smithsonian Museums
Donald Trump’s comments follow last week’s White House announcement of an extensive review of the Smithsonian Institution, which oversees many of the nation’s most prominent museums. In a letter to Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, three senior aides to the president wrote that the initiative “aims to ensure alignment with the US President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
According to the letter, the review will examine public-facing content, the curatorial process for exhibit selection, plans for future exhibitions, use of collections and guidelines for historical narratives.
Pushback From Museum Experts
Museum scholars have raised concerns about the plan as Janet Marstine, a museum ethics expert, warned that the administration’s demands “set the Smithsonian up for failure,” calling them unrealistic given the breadth of materials requested. The White House has asked the institution to produce everything from internal emails and memos to digital copies of all gallery placards currently on display.
Earlier this year, Donald Trump issued an executive order assigning Vice President JD Vance- who sits on the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents- to oversee efforts to halt federal funding for exhibits deemed out of step with the administration’s agenda.
Reversal From Donald Trump’s Earlier Praise
The US President’s latest stance marks a sharp departure from his first term, when he praised the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture during a 2017 visit. At the time, Donald Trump said he was “deeply proud” of a museum that honored “the millions of African American men and women who built our national heritage.”
Founded in the 1840s with funds from British scientist James Smithson’s estate, the Smithsonian is a federally supported trust but not an executive branch agency.
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
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