Claims that a White House official in charge of U.S. President Donald Trump's mandate to review exhibits within the Smithsonian Institution said, "You can't really talk about slavery honestly unless you also talk about hope and progress," circulated online in August 2025.

President Donald Trump lamented mentions of “how bad Slavery was” at the Smithsonian and other museums, calling them “the last remaining segment of ‘woke’” as he seeks to exert more control over cultural institutions in his second term.

The White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday unveiling plans to conduct a review of museums and exhibits in preparation for the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026.

There are heightened concerns for D.C.'s Smithsonian museums after President Trump issued a Truth Social post criticizing the institution and what he called “woke” culture.

New York Times investigative reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones talks about President Trump's criticism of the Smithsonian, saying the institution focuses too much on "how bad slavery was."

Trump orders sweeping Smithsonian review after blasting museums as “woke," vowing to reshape exhibits to emphasize unity, progress and American exceptionalism.