Smithsonian, White House and Trump
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Claims that a White House official in charge of U.S. President Donald Trump's mandate to review exhibits within the Smithsonian Institution said, "You can't really talk about slavery honestly unless you also talk about hope and progress," circulated online in August 2025.
President Donald Trump lamented mentions of “how bad Slavery was” at the Smithsonian and other museums, calling them “the last remaining segment of ‘woke’” as he seeks to exert more control over cultural institutions in his second term.
A White House official told NBC News that Trump plans to expand his review of museums beyond the Smithsonian, which is based in Washington, D.C.
The White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday unveiling plans to conduct a review of museums and exhibits in preparation for the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026.