President Donald Trump announced he ordered attorneys within his administration to investigate Smithsonian museums, similar to his crackdown on U.S. colleges and universities.
“I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday.
Trump claimed that the Smithsonian Institution “is OUT OF CONTROL,” bemoaning its affinity for “woke” topics.
“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” Trump wrote.
“This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE. We have the “HOTTEST” Country in the World, and we want people to talk about it, including in our Museums,” Trump added.
The president’s post follows an announcement last week ordering a review of the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibits at museums and galleries ahead of the United States’s 250th birthday.
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the Smithsonian said it would cooperate with the White House.
“The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history,” the institution said. “We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents.”
Earlier this month, the Smithsonian restored information on the impeachment of Trump to a display in the National Museum of American History after Democratic backlash.
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In March, Trump signed the “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order that aims to “restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness.”
The crackdown on the Smithsonian also comes amid Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center and his browbeating of higher education institutions.
Brady Knox contributed to this report.
