A recent White House report escalated the attack against American museums and historians, labeling the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution “radical activists who cannot be trusted.” This comes after President Trump’s previous comments on the Smithsonian in March of this year.
Released by the White House Domestic Policy Council on Independence Day, the report is the latest in President Trump’s altering the nation’s historical institutions to favor conservative ideology. Trump had previously made moves to alter plaques in places like President George Washington’s home to display information that excluded facts on his involvement in slavery.
This also included alterations in other institutions, including national parks, monuments, and most notably, the John F. Kennedy Center. As serious as these attacks on these institutions are, backlash is mounting. As much as museums in general have gotten criticized for unethical business practices and mishandling of the cultures they display over decades they have been in business.
Organisations like the Smithsonian have managed to be some of the best historical organisations in the United States. This specific targeting by the Trump administration will likely cause a rise in interest towards these museums from the public, its critics, and especially the younger generations.
Despite the fervor with which the Trump Administration is going after organizations like the Smithsonian, none of the changes it has previously made have lasted. Most have been so unpopular that, when Trump’s name was finally removed from the John F. Kennedy Center building, crowds gathered to watch and cheer.
