Trump Activities

We all know about Trump and the Kennedy Center but how many know about the campaign he’s waging against the Smithsonian Institute? This is: A group of museums, education, and research centres, created by the US government in 1846 “for the increase and diffusion of knowledge”. Trump is pressuring the Smithsonian Institution to change its exhibits and governance so they align with his preferred, more “patriotic” narrative of U.S. history, using the threat of funding cuts and board reshuffles to gain leverage. Details of this campaign are at the end of this post.

Trumpisms

Trump has repeatedly claimed that China manufactures most of the world’s wind and solar hardware but does not use it itself, insisting that China relies almost entirely on coal, oil, gas and a little nuclear instead. In fact, China is the world leader in wind power capacity and wind generation. It has 40–48% of global wind output and is also a leading developer of solar power, operating huge solar farms capable of producing hundreds of gigawatts annually.

Non-comedic Commentaries

Stuart Rojstaczer shorts

• 1. Good News and Bad news
• 2. Howard Lutnick’s BS and the K-shaped US economy.

The ever-sharp and acerbic Marina Hyd

• 1. From ICE to Melania’s black carpet, are Trump’s techlords getting pangs of buyer’s remorse?
• 2. Masked thugs, sneering elites and terrified citizens: a picture of the US today. We used to have a name for this.

Lawrence O’Donnell. Trump is in retreat.

Comedic Commentaries

Jimmy Kimmel. Trump celebrates Melania’s movie premiere, has a new BFF Nicki Minaj &a government shutdown looms [Note. Minaj’s brother is in jail for raping a child and would like a pardon.]

Seth Myers. Trump lies about the Ilhan Omar attack; Bondi claims resistance to ICE is “Organized”.

Stephen Colbert. ICE outrage goes viral. The White House blame game; Ilhan Omar – tough under pressure; Poo-tomac river.

TRUMP v. THE SMITHSONIAN

Main actions

• He issued an executive order (“Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”) directing that Smithsonian programs avoid what he calls “improper, divisive, or anti‑American ideology,” particularly narratives focused on racism, slavery and structural discrimination.
• The White House has ordered a sweeping review of content at multiple Smithsonian museums, demanding detailed lists of planned and existing exhibits, wall texts, artifacts and anniversary programming, especially for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in 2026.
• Trump and his aides have explicitly tied continued federal funding (which covers roughly two‑thirds of the Smithsonian’s budget) to compliance with this review and the re-framing of exhibits in a more positive, “American exceptionalism” tone.

Governance and board moves

• The executive order instructs that new appointments to the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents should be aligned with Trump’s agenda, and several seats are expected to turn over, giving him a chance to reshape the governing body that hires the Smithsonian’s secretary and oversees policy.
• Vice President J.D. Vance and other Trump allies have been tasked with enforcing the order, including scrutiny of museum decision‑making and internal processes.

Effects on exhibits and practice

• Museums have been asked to review or adjust exhibits that highlight Trump’s impeachments or broader histories of racism and oppression, and in at least one case text mentioning Trump’s two impeachments was removed from a National Portrait Gallery label.
• Smithsonian leadership has been walking a line between asserting institutional independence and providing the extensive documentation and access that the White House is now demanding.