The White House published a list of exhibitions found at the Smithsonian that they claim defend President Donald Trump’s claims that the museum is “woke.”
The list, titled “President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian,” pointed out 20 exhibits that the administration believes frame historical events through an “ideological” narrative that demeans the accomplishments of the United States.
Several exhibits included in the report relate to gender expression and LGBTQ+ rights. The White House took issue with the American History Museum’s “LGBTQ+ History” exhibit that explores gender expression and drag culture, the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride flag flown at the American History Museum and a painting in the National Portrait Gallery, depicting a transgender Statue of Liberty.
“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 — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have the ‘HOTTEST’ Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums.”
The Trump administration also took objection with several exhibits relating to immigration and Latino rights. One painting in the National Portrait Gallery depicted a family crossing the border. The White House condemned the National Museum of the American Latino’s programming of animated Latinos and Latinas with disabilities and diverse sexual orientations, as well as the museum’s exhibit that framed the Mexican-American War as a North American invasion motivated by pro-slavery leadership.
Additionally, the White House listed their grievances about exhibits candidly discussing white privilege, pointing to several art pieces that highlighted white-dominant culture in the United States at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In March, President Trump signed an executive order, which criticized the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s portrayal of “whiteness.” After it drew criticism for claims of “wokeness,” Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian, had the pamphlet removed.
Just last week, the Trump administration sent a letter to Bunch, saying the Smithsonian had a 120-day deadline to replace whatever Trump deemed “divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate and constructive descriptions.”
