Former President Donald Trump has publicly urged the Smithsonian Institution to prominently feature George Washington through new statues and a special exhibit. Trump, in social media posts, requested the installation of an 11-foot statue of Washington outside the National Museum of American History and a larger, 30-foot statue to replace the existing "Infinity" sculpture.
He also called for a special exhibit dedicated to Washington, to run through February 22, 2032, marking the 300th anniversary of the first president's birth. Trump stated on Truth Social that Washington is "America’s Greatest Hero" and that the country's freedoms would not exist without him. He specifically noted that the museum currently does not include exhibits on Washington's crossing of the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War.
Trump suggested that the museum should establish a "Center for American Heroes" instead of a "Center for Restorative History," an initiative focused on highlighting previously excluded historical narratives. The Smithsonian operates independently of the executive branch, overseen by a Board of Regents that includes the Vice President, Chief Justice, members of Congress, and citizens, making it unclear if Trump has the authority to mandate such changes.
This call follows previous efforts by Trump to influence the Smithsonian's programming. In March, he indicated intentions to use an executive order to target funding for programs he deemed to promote "divisive narratives" and "improper ideology." A White House report released this year also criticized the institution for not sufficiently highlighting Washington and other founding figures.
In July, Trump directed his administration to place signs in front of the U.S. history museum to inform visitors about inaccuracies in certain exhibits, as part of his broader initiative to reshape the narrative of American history. Lonnie Bunch, the top leader of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, announced his resignation for the end of the year.
Statues have been a recurring theme in Trump's public projects. He has previously expressed a desire to construct a park along the Potomac River to display statues of 250 notable Americans and has installed a statue of Washington at his remodeled Rose Garden patio.