Social media users have been quick to express their displeasure with CNN for an appearance from Jillian Michaels on “NewsNight With Abby Phillip” after the fitness trainer got into a heated debate with the panelists about President Trump’s order for a review of the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibits.
The Trump administration’s directive called for the Smithsonian to remove “improper ideology” from its museums. According to a letter sent Tuesday to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the goal of this internal review is to ensure that the Smithsonian’s exhibits “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
The directive has provoked outrage from many historians and political pundits who have accused the Trump administration of trying to whitewash and rewrite history. Michaels, for her part, pushed back on that reaction during Wednesday night’s edition of CNN’s “NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” in which she argued, “[Trump’s] not whitewashing slavery.”
“He’s not,” Michaels insisted. “You cannot tie imperialism and racism and slavery just to one race, which is pretty much what every single [museum] exhibit does.”
Michaels received immediate pushback from her fellow panelists, who reminded her that they were discussing the Smithsonian’s exhibits covering American history. “Jillian, I’m surprised that you’re trying to litigate who was the beneficiary of slavery,” Phillip told Michaels. “In the context of American history, what are you saying is incorrect by saying that it was white people oppressing black people?”
“Every single thing is like, ‘Oh, no, no, no, this is all because white people bad,’” Michaels responded. “That’s just not the truth.” After the segment’s airing, viewers swiftly took to social media to blast Michaels for her comments. Viewers also questioned why CNN would even let Michaels appear on the program at all given that she is known for her fitness training not her historical or political prowess.
Michaels: You cannot tie imperialism and racism and slavery to just one race, which is pretty much what every single exhibit does… Only less than 2% of white Americans own slaves. You realize that slavery is thousands of years old?
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 14, 2025
Phillip: I’m very surprised you are trying to… pic.twitter.com/KOe9rSAcTV
“Truly humiliating stuff here from @JillianMichaels — and from @CNN for giving nonsense like this air time night after night as our democracy hangs in the balance,” wrote The Tennessee Holler on X, while another user asked, “Jillian Michaels is a personal trainer. Why the f—k is CNN putting her on TV to talk about politics?”
Elsewhere, a different user similarly pondered, “Why is Jillian Michaels on a CNN panel talking about slavery[?] Cable news deserves whatever is coming for it.”
“Are the nonexistent ratings worth it?” another user questioned.
are the producers at @CNN proud to pump out this corrosive societal pollution every night? are the nonexistent ratings worth it? How do y’all sleep at night? https://t.co/cI87Oeue2J
— Peter Twinklage (@PeterTwinklage) August 14, 2025
On X, Michaels penned a lengthy post Wednesday night defending her comments with photos of a Smithsonian exhibit that places the blame for the instability in Latin American countries and the Caribbean in the 1990s on the “contradictions of U.S. foreign policy” at the time.
“This is one of the Smithsonian exhibits I was referencing,” Michaels wrote. “Trump is not trying to ‘erase slavery’ by suggesting some of the instillations there are inaccurate and bias.”
Ok… so for anyone watching me on @CNN tonight battling it out on Abby Phillip's show… this is one of the Smithsonian exhibits I was referencing. Trump is not trying to "erase slavery" by suggesting some of the instillations there are inaccurate and bias. Notice how it omits… pic.twitter.com/P0aLKZmIyV
— Jillian Michaels (@JillianMichaels) August 14, 2025
You can watch the full segment in the video above.
CNN declined TheWrap’s request for comment.
