Trump asks the Smithsonian Institution to install George Washington statues and an exhibit

What This is

• Trump called on the Smithsonian to honor George Washington with new statues and a special exhibit at the National Museum of American History.
• He asked for an 11-foot Washington statue to be placed immediately inside the museum’s Flag Hall.
• He also urged a roughly 30-foot Washington statue outside the museum, described as a replacement for the outdoor “Infinity” sculpture.
• He criticized Smithsonian museum work he described as “ideological activism,” including “decolonization” efforts and what he sees as too much focus on oppression.
• In his posts, Trump called for replacing the museum’s “Center for Restorative History” with a “Center for American” history.
• Historians and civil-rights advocates have warned that political pressure on museum storytelling can downplay slavery and other past injustices.
• Trump has also raised the idea of using federal funding and oversight to push changes in how museums present American history.

Why This Matters

• It reflects a wider culture fight over how to teach U.S. history, including slavery, racism, and colonialism alongside founding-era achievements.
• It can affect public trust in museums, especially if exhibits are seen as political messaging rather than evidence-based history.
• It signals how federal funding and oversight could be used to push cultural priorities in public institutions.