There’s always something or other that Donald Trump has an issue with. This time it’s the Smithsonian Institution. His order accuses the institute of not reflecting true American history.
The Smithsonian Institution was founded in the 19th century. The main motto of the institute is to spread knowledge and advance it in all fields. For this, it has a budget of 1 billion USD. It is a globally renowned collection of research centers, museums, and educational facilities. The vision of British scientist James Smithson came to life by including different cultures, a national zoo, a museum for rich African American history and an Air and Space museum.
You may wonder why Trump is coming after the Smithsonian Institute. Well, the institute stands for cultural dimension, and rich African American history. The concept is against what Trump stands for so far. Moreover, he has issues with the American Women’s History Museum as they support trans athletes’ rights.
Trump was not always against the institute’s view. In 2017, he visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He appreciated the rich history and the contribution of African Americans to the country.
LIVE: President Trump hosts a reception honoring Black History Month in the White House https://t.co/EkhllFJzS2 — CNBC (@CNBC) February 20, 2025
However, Trump’s views and orders are super problematic as he is focused on removing and diminishing black history. He does not appreciate the legacy of diversity, individual rights, and liberty. Not to forget how he is anti-LGBTQ+. His order allows Vice President JD Vance to change and prohibit programs and presentations that cause degradation to the shared American values” or “divide Americans based on race.
To this order, civil rights advocates, historians and Black political leaders are reacting and saying how Trump is racist. His remarks are nothing but insensitive and racist and target the black history that has shaped the country.
A historian and a professor at Morehouse College, Clarissa Myrick-Harris, said, “It seems like we’re headed in the direction where there’s even an attempt to deny that the institution of slavery even existed, or that Jim Crow laws and segregation and racial violence against Black communities, Black families, Black individuals even occurred.”
Moreover, Trump has ordered Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to find and change monuments that minimize the history in any way. This is a code for removing Confederate monuments that were placed after George Floyd’s murder. With such a negative approach to Black history, Trump is being said to be supporting racism.
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He’s even endangering the social and political stance of black leaders. Trump’s attempt to distort the rich history may be out of jealousy or gaining power. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke remarked, “We do not run from or erase our history simply because we don’t like it,” she said in a statement. “We embrace the history of our country – the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
Ever since Trump’s inauguration, he has focused on banning diversity initiatives. The administration is investigating both public and private institutes. They went as far as removing training videos that recognized Tuskegee Airmen and an online biography of Jackie Robinson. Trump administration has also fired diversity officers and healthcare workers. If this doesn’t scream racism, then what will?
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