The Memo: Trump ignites new culture war battle over the Smithsonian — and slavery
President Trump has plunged once more into the nation’s cultural wars — this time with Washington’s famous Smithsonian Institution in his sights.
As is often the case, the manner of Trump’s attack risks significant blowback, even as it delights his fans.
Specifically, in a social media blast about how “OUT OF CONTROL” the Smithsonian allegedly is, Trump contended that its exhibits were excessively focused on “how bad Slavery was.”
Whether that sentiment was clumsily phrased or fully intentional, it ignited a storm because of the implication that slavery was somehow not quite as bad as commonly portrayed.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) — a potential 2028 presidential candidate who has adopted an ever more combative social media stance against Trump in recent weeks — contended that the president was “trying to ERASE slavery from U.S. history.”
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) blasted Trump’s comment as “outrageous and un-American” and further argued, “If Trump thinks slavery wasn’t bad, he clearly needs to spend more time in a museum.”
Media commentators expressed their own criticisms.
CNN “Newsnight” anchor Abby Phillip began her show on Tuesday with a monologue in which........
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