Donald Trump’s critique of the Smithsonian Institution for its focus on “how bad slavery was” might seem like a joke, except that, like so many of the ignorant, mean-spirited and flat-out racist opinions and directives issued by the White House over the last six months, it’s not even remotely funny.
What makes it even more absurd and disturbing is that the president and his minions (JD Vance, the vice-president, sits on the Smithsonian’s board) are determined to micro-manage the exhibits and wall texts on view at the 21 museums that operate under the Smithsonian’s aegis and to replace the truth about history with “unifying and constructive descriptions”. Among the proscribed images are a picture of the former NIAID director Dr Anthony Fauci (one of the president’s perceived enemies) and a photo of immigrants watching fireworks through a gap in the border wall.
