by Black America Web (https://blackamericaweb.com/) by Christopher Smith
Online commentators criticized President Donald Trump when he once again claimed that the Smithsonian Institution was too woke and focused too much on slavery.
On
Tuesday
(August 19), President Donald Trump once again
attacked
the Smithsonian Institution and its museums, raging that they ve become too woke and complaining that showing how bad Slavery was is harming the nation. His words were met with severe pushback online, with many calling him out for racism and hypocrisy, and others claiming its another distraction from his haphazard and unpopular second presidential term.
NEWS: Trump claims that because the Smithsonian discusses how horrible slavery was, it is WOKE and OUT OF CONTROL. He also claims that he has told his lawyers to prevent this from happening at D.C. museums.August 19, 2025 pic.twitter.com/APRseFcnfMMeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch)
We will not permit this to occur, he said, and I have directed my lawyers to visit the museums and begin the same procedure that has been carried out with colleges and universities, where great strides have been made. Since WOKE IS BROKE, this country cannot be WOKE. We want people to discuss about our country, which is the hottest in the world, even in our museums.
A multitude of people expressed their outrage over Trump s post. CNN host Abby Phillip brought up the remarks on her primetime show that evening in discussion with political historian Leah Wright Rigeur, and played a clip from Trump s first term showing him praising the National Museum of African American History and Culture after a tour in 2017.
Trump in 2017: Here in Washington, D.C., I had the honor of touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This brand-new, exquisite Smithsonian museum is a brilliant representation of the amazing contributions made by African Americans to our society.August 20, 2025, twitter.com/p8VkrOYhVxAcyn (@Acyn)
Despite not naming it in this new Truth Social post, it is thought that Trump is concentrating on the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Board of Regents, which is composed of nine citizens, three members of the US Senate, three members of the US House of Representatives, the Chief Justice of the US, and the Vice President of the US, oversees the Smithsonian and is not exclusively under Trump’s authority. It already resisted Trump’s attempt to dismiss Kim Sajet, the National Portrait Gallery’s director.
Others pointed out that Trump’s post is just another attempt to solidify authoritarian rule in the US while deflecting attention from a number of problems his administration is facing in his second term. These include Jeffrey Epstein’s attempts to seize control of the Washington, D.C., police force and the willful lack of transparency around his government files.
1. Sisson, Harry J.
Trump is upset that the Smithsonian Museum discusses the negative aspects of slavery, a significant period in American history. His lawyers are now pursuing the museum. Throughout history, dictators have acted in this manner. America, wake up.fB43axVSNc pic.twitter.com/August 19, 2025 Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson)
2. Areva Martin
Slavery is an indisputable reality in America. It’s rich of Trump to say that the Smithsonian is out of control. His preoccupation with erasing history is what’s truly out of control. It is impossible to turn the cruelty of slavery into a romantic tale. Here is where our forefathers lived, perished, and fought: https://t.co/Vt4VdjvbRkAugust 20, 2025 Areva Martin, Esq. (@ArevaMartin)
3. Keith Olbermann
Breaking: Trump believes that we have done enough to acknowledge the terrible nature of slavery.You may finally put an end to whatever doubts you may have had about his racism and inhumanity.Twitter: pic.twitter.com/1uwM0AeTvoAugust 19, 2025 Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann)
4. Sandi Bachom
Was it really that horrible that Trump was speaking to these men when he suggested slavery and meddled with Smithsonian exhibits? During the Civil War, my great-grandfather fought against these men in the Ohio 111th. Every MAGA rally has these flags.twitter.com/4MTbe4j5MHS photoAugust 20, 2025 Andi Bachom (@sandibachom)
5. James Hohmann
I hope that our national museums still depict the terrible, terrible, terrible reality of slavery.This link: https://t.co/E67SGezhVIAugust 19, 2025 James Hohmann (@jameshohmann)
6. Sophia A. Nelson
A great country doesn’t flee its past. Time. The history of America from its founding in 1607 to the present is chronicled by the Smithsonian Museums. The historical record, facts, and reality all form the basis of that story. How could Trump possibly “reshape” history to suit his own interests? August 13, 2025, Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson)
7. Black Lives Matter
Oh my, Trump is experiencing a crisis of identity. America was never as great as the myth he’s been selling on that cheap red hat produced in China, he recently discovered.In order to brainwash, sedate, and lock the nation in hispic, he is now bringing in his big, nasty lawyers to clean up the Smithsonian.https://tweet.com/U7Lj2MfNiWAugust 19, 2025: Black Lives Matter (BLM) (@Blklivesmatter)
8. Reich, Robert
According to Trump, the Smithsonian museum is overly focused on “how bad slavery was.”Authoritarians are aware that they can persuade us that our ruler is always correct if they can show us that our nation has never been in error.Take caution.tweet.com/9Xm8GUvIBaAugust 19, 2025 Robert Reich (@RBReich)
