In a striking cultural salvo, the White House released a statement titled “President Trump Is Right About the Smithsonian” on Thursday, accusing the Smithsonian Institution of promoting so-called “woke” ideology through its federally funded museum exhibitions.
The article, published on an official government platform, lists 22 examples from various Smithsonian museums which, according to the administration, serve as evidence of left-wing cultural bias. Notably, the document offers minimal commentary or analysis, instead relying heavily on right-wing trigger words such as “transgender”, “LGBTQ+”, and “diversity” to make its case.
While framed as a factual report, the piece echoes the tone of far-right criticism, with its thinly veiled contempt for any content that challenges a whitewashed, conservative interpretation of American history and culture.
It heavily references a prior report by the far-right Federalist Society, which describes Smithsonian exhibitions as “Wall-To-Wall Anti-American Propaganda” and denounces displays “promoting homosexuality.” Many of the article’s claims appear lifted directly from that report or from fringe social media accounts.
Examples cited include:
- The Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag displayed at the American History Museum entrance.
- A LGBTQ+ History exhibit exploring topics like drag ball culture of the 1920s and LGBTQ+ inclusion in skateboarding.
- A Title IX display featuring transgender athletes and advocating for inclusive participation in sports.
- A planned artwork at the National Portrait Gallery depicting a transgender Statue of Liberty (later withdrawn by the artist).
The list also targets exhibitions reflecting racial diversity and immigration experiences — particularly those that don’t align with Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history.
For instance:
- One exhibit shows migrants watching U.S. Independence Day fireworks through the Mexico border wall and claims early American founders feared non-white immigration.
- Another, in the American Democracy exhibit, links modern voter ID laws to efforts to marginalise new and diverse voting blocs.
- The Museum of American Art is singled out for inviting “dialogue and reflection on notions of power and identity” through sculpture.
Critics note the White House’s approach mirrors tactics from darker historical chapters. Some have compared the effort to a digital-age, sanitised version of Nazi Germany’s “Degenerate Art” campaign, minus the ideological nuance. Instead of genuine cultural critique, the article seems more like a box-ticking exercise aimed at appeasing Trump’s distaste for institutions that celebrate diversity — particularly those that never embraced him or his politics.
Trump’s personal vendetta against cultural institutions — many of which ignored him during his presidency — appears to be resurfacing. In a recent Truth Social post, Trump complained that the Smithsonian’s content acknowledged “how bad Slavery was,” declaring the institution “OUT OF CONTROL.”
Observers argue that the Smithsonian isn’t “out of control” — it’s simply out of his control.
