The Smithsonian Museum has long served as a hallmark of American history and culture. It’s a place for people to learn more about our country’s history, both the good and the bad. Unfortunately, President Donald Trump has made it clear that he doesn’t want the American public to know about the unpleasant parts of American history through his recent vow to review the Smithsonian.
In a letter to the Smithsonian, the White House declared that they will be reviewing the exhibits there to ensure that they align with Trump’s ideas of American history. Allowing a president to dictate what can be portrayed in a museum is a dangerous precedent that threatens the way America treats its history.
“We view this process as a collaborative and forward-looking opportunity—one that empowers museum staff to embrace a revitalized curatorial vision rooted in the strength, breadth and achievements of the American story. By focusing on Americanism—the people, principles and progress that define our nation—we can work together to renew the Smithsonian’s role as the world’s leading museum institution,” the letter said.
While this doesn’t sound bad in theory, it raises the question of what the administration views as “achievements of the American story.” In the past, Trump has expressed contempt for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies in education. His changes to DEI policies include prohibiting the teaching of topics related to race and gender. These limits on what can be taught hint that the administration may not consider DEI related topics to be “achievements of the American story.” However, much of American history is composed of achievements from people who would fall under DEI programs.
Some of the museums the White House plans to review include the National Museum of African American History and the National Museum of the American Indian. In the grand scheme of things, removing a few exhibits from some museums doesn’t seem as concerning as other horrifying headlines that grace news websites everyday. In reality, eliminating exhibits from these museums means censoring a past filled with injustice for these groups. It is not possible to tell the true story of America by handpicking parts of American history that are agreeable while blissfully ignoring the aspects that leave a shameful legacy. In some cases, conservatives simply rewrite history to fit their ideas, ignoring the realities of the past.
This pattern can be seen in the recent controversy surrounding a PragerU cartoon. PragerU is a nonprofit that produces videos that support conservative ideals. The Trump administration has worked with PragerU in the past. One cartoon produced by this nonprofit shows Christopher Columbus defending slavery, saying that it was a preferable option over being killed. This horrifying opinion ignores the true nature of slavery, an unspeakably appalling institution that has to be covered in full in order for Americans to understand the role it played in shaping American society as it is today.
Today, many are trying to be more mindful of accurately portraying historical events by considering previously ignored perspectives. For example, monuments in the United States that were named after controversial figures, such as those with ties to the Confederacy, had previously been renamed. This was done to stop celebrating individuals with legacies that are harmful to many Americans. In a March 2025 executive order, Trump expressed displeasure at the renaming of monuments that portray America in a “negative light” and ordered that the secretary of the interior review monuments and memorials that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living.”
“This revisionist movement seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light. Under this historical revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive or otherwise irredeemably flawed,” the executive order stated.
While it is true that America has made strides in advancing liberty and equality, it is dangerous to ignore the legacies of injustice that have long persisted in our country. There are legacies of racism, sexism and oppression within our country’s history that cannot be ignored for the sake of American nationalism. Talking about these enduring legacies is uncomfortable, but it has to be done in order to move forward as a country and prevent these patterns of oppression from repeating in the future.
Though many may think that history isn’t relevant to daily life, events of the past are what shaped the world as we know it. In order to understand why society operates the way it does, the good, the bad and the ugly of history has to be available and talked about honestly. When it comes to history, ignorance isn’t bliss — it’s dangerous.
