The remark, made as the president has ordered a wide-ranging review of museum exhibits, added to his pattern of minimizing Black history.

President Trump's adviser leading a review of Smithsonian museums' content defended the move as shifting the focus to progress, rather than dwelling on past mistakes, and argued that the museums should be geared toward pride in America's growth.

Lindsey Halligan, the White House official leading a review of the Smithsonian Institution, argued you "can't really talk about slavery honestly unless you talk about hope and progress" during a Newsmax appearance on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump confirmed the White House is conducting a review of the Smithsonian museums and expressed frustration over their portrayal of dark parts of America's history, including slavery.