Intensifying Cultural Conflict: Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Art Institutions - Trump escalates pressures on museums
During his second term as president, Donald Trump is actively pressuring the Smithsonian Institution and other cultural institutions in the United States to reshape historical and cultural narratives. The focus is on promoting narratives of American success rather than critical historical perspectives.
Last week, the White House demanded that the Smithsonian Institution submit concept designs, exhibition plans, as well as catalogs and programs of all current exhibitions for review. This move signals a review and possible enforcement of "consistent curatorial guidelines that reflect the Smithsonian’s original mission," heavily influenced by the administration's perspective.
Trump has publicly criticized the Smithsonian for focusing on negative aspects of American history, such as "how bad slavery was." He has threatened to cut federal funding as leverage. In a tweet, he wrote that "Woke is broke."
The White House's request for extensive internal documentation from the Smithsonian, including exhibition plans, wall texts, touring schedules, and internal governance documents, has created a chilling effect across museums nationwide. Some institutions are preemptively altering programming to avoid controversial topics.
In response, over 150 arts organizations and 275 individuals have issued formal statements defending cultural institutions' autonomy over programming and curatorial decisions. They emphasize the importance of maintaining freedom to present visionary, challenging, and diverse narratives without political interference.
Artists, scholars, and museum professionals have publicly pushed back against what they see as government overreach and censorship attempts. Critics accuse Trump of restricting artistic freedom and free expression, and of launching a full-blown cultural war.
Typically, museums under Trump's predecessors did not face presidential interventions, but this has changed with the power shift in Washington. Trump has instructed his lawyers to review the museums and start a process similar to what was done to universities during his administration.
As of late August 2025, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington has not yet responded to Trump's post. The Smithsonian Institution is one of the last remnants of "woke" culture, according to Trump. The decree issued by Trump in the spring applies to all museums in the USA. Trump targeted the Smithsonian Institution, which operates numerous museums in Washington, D.C., with this process involving funding cuts and the stopping of diversity programs.
References: [1] The Art Newspaper. (2025, August 26). Trump administration demands review of Smithsonian Institution's exhibitions. Retrieved from https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/trump-administration-demands-review-of-smithsonian-institution-s-exhibitions
[2] The Washington Post. (2025, August 25). Trump threatens to cut funding to Smithsonian Institution over perceived focus on 'woke' topics. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2025/08/25/trump-threatens-cut-funding-smithsonian-institution-over-perceived-focus-woke-topics/
[3] CNN. (2025, August 24). Trump slams Smithsonian Institution for focusing on negative aspects of American history. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/24/politics/trump-slams-smithsonian-institution-for-focusing-on-negative-aspects-of-american-history/
[4] Hyperallergic. (2025, August 27). Arts Organizations and Museum Professionals Speak Out Against Trump's Attempts to Censor Museums. Retrieved from https://hyperallergic.com/737635/arts-organizations-and-museum-professionals-speak-out-against-trumps-attempts-to-censor-museums/
[5] The New York Times. (2025, August 28). Trump's War on Museums. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/arts/trumps-war-on-museums.html
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