As of recently, some information kept in the Smithsonian museums has been targeted by the Trump Administration. So far in 2025 Trump has accused the Institution multiple times, but primarliy during March and August. The accusations center around the institutes “woke” ideology and their “negative” portrayal of American history. In a social media post this August Trump said, “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.... This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have to have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World...” (NYT). On March 27th Trump issued an executive order under the name of “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order asked Vice President J.D. Vance to consult with various White House officials and remove “improper ideology” from the museums.

The Smithsonian Institution is the largest museum and research institute in the world. Founded in the summer of 1846, the Smithsonian was built to spread knowledge to civilians. Over 175 years have passed and the institute now has 21 museums, the National Zoo, and nine research facilities. The museums have over 155 million objects in all and hundreds of everchanging exhibits. With so many museums, there is an endless abundance of information.

Trump’s goal is to rid the museums of exhibits that “degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy; and... do not recognize men as women in any respect in the museum,” according to Congress.gov. The exhibits being looked at include artifacts and art that focus on Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ history in America. Two particular instillations being removed include an exhibit depicting Benjamin Franklin as a slave owner, which he was, as well as a display acknowledging race as a social construct.

The lack of effort in historical preservation, and the removal of important historical information, is a common issue in recent times. As it is taught in history classes everywhere, we must talk and learn about the past in order to grow from it. The suffering and the triumphs must be equally recognized in order for America, and countries across the world, to continue prospering.