Demand Progress

Trump’s war on the Smithsonian is about rewriting history to reflect his dangerous, hate-filled, right-wing ideology. He wrote on Truth Social that the museums focus too much on “how bad slavery was” and that the cornerstone American history institution is “OUT OF CONTROL.” ¹

Trump is threatening the Smithsonian’s funding if they don’t follow his directives to alter the historical record of America. ² Big law firms, Big Tech companies, media corporations, and universities have folded to Trump’s threats — emboldening him to escalate his strongman tactics against any organization, company, and institution he disagrees with.

The Smithsonian Board of Regents must stand firm against the White House’s demand for so-called alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives.” ³

Sign the petition: Tell the Smithsonian to preserve history and stand up to Trump’s threats!

Trump’s massive redesign of the White House, and MAGA loyalists trying to get Trump’s face on Mount Rushmore and U.S. currency, are all part of this administration’s authoritarian takeover — celebrating a strongman by remaking society in his image. Rewriting the Smithsonian’s historical record would be a shocking blow as we try to withstand Trump’s despotic rule.

One historian called the White House’s review of the Smithsonian, “a full assault on the autonomy of all the different branches of the institution.” ⁴ Another historian said it’s Trump’s attempt to “put his stamp on the way we tell the story of America.” ⁵

Trump wants to distort and rewrite history so it conforms to his racist, far-right views. The Smithsonian cannot give in.

Sign the petition: Stand up to Trump’s threats! Protect the Smithsonian’s historical record from the White House’s right-wing vision of America.

Sources:

1. The New York Times, "Trump Says Smithsonian Focuses Too Much on ‘How Bad Slavery Was',” August 19, 2025.
2. Reuters, "Trump targets the Smithsonian again, says it focuses too much on how bad slavery was,” August 20, 2025.
3. The White House Briefings and Statements, “Letter to the Smithsonian: Internal Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions and Materials,” August 12, 2025.
4. The New York Times, "White House Announces Comprehensive Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions,” August 12, 2025.
5. Democracy Now, "“Whitewashing of History”: Harvard Historian on Trump’s Targeting of School Curricula, Smithsonian,” August 18, 2025.