Trump asks Smithsonian to install ‘Colossus statue’ of George Washington with exhibit
Also reported by PBS NewsHour, The Hill
Summary
President Donald Trump asked the Smithsonian Institution to put up a large statue of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History and create a special exhibit about Washington that lasts until 2032. He said the museum should focus more on American heroes like Washington and less on topics like oppression and division.Key Facts
- President Trump wants a 30-foot statue of George Washington installed outside the National Museum of American History.
- He also requested a special exhibit about Washington to run through 2032, marking the 300th anniversary of Washington’s birth.
- The statue would replace the current Infinity sculpture, which has been there since 1967.
- Trump criticized the museum for not highlighting Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River and victory at Trenton during the Revolutionary War.
- The Smithsonian is an independent institution run by a board, so Trump may not have the power to demand these changes directly.
- Lonnie Bunch, the Smithsonian’s secretary, announced he will resign at the end of the year and has defended the museum’s independence.
- Trump’s administration previously ordered signs accusing the museum of inaccuracy, but the signs have not yet appeared.
- The Trump administration has been trying to influence cultural sites and public art, including removing some sculptures and proposing new statues honoring American figures.
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