President Donald Trump has demanded that the Smithsonian Institution install a 30-foot "Colossus" statue of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History, replacing the modernist 1967 sculpture "Infinity." Trump also called for a five-year exhibition on Washington's legacy. The demands follow the announced retirement of Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch and ongoing administration threats to cut federal funding over the museum's alleged focus on oppression and social justice.
Trump's George Washington statue demand
- ▪President Donald Trump called on the Smithsonian Institution to install a 30-foot "Colossus statue" of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History
- ▪President Donald Trump requested that the Smithsonian Institution install an 11-foot statue of George Washington, featured at the Freedom 250 IndyCar race, in the museum's Flag Hall for Constitution Day on September 17, 2026
- ▪President Donald Trump requested a five-year exhibition honoring George Washington at the National Museum of American History to run through February 2032, the 300th anniversary of Washington's birth
Modernist sculpture replacement proposal
- ▪President Donald Trump criticized the "Infinity" sculpture on Truth Social, stating that the modernist artwork tells visitors nothing about America, inspires no one, and honors no American heroes
- ▪President Donald Trump proposed that the 30-foot George Washington statue replace "Infinity," a modernist sculpture by artist José de Rivera that has stood outside the National Museum of American History since 1967
Trump administration Smithsonian criticism
- ▪President Donald Trump ordered the Department of the Interior in July 2026 to display signs outside the National Museum of American History notifying visitors that exhibits should be renovated
- ▪The Trump administration threatened in September 2026 to cut federal funding and federal agency cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution over its exhibition content
- ▪The Trump administration issued a 162-page report in March 2025 accusing the National Museum of American History of focusing excessively on oppression, social justice, and division
Lonnie Bunch retirement announcement
- ▪Lonnie Bunch rejected a White House report that characterized Smithsonian officials as untrustworthy radical activists, calling the report unfair
- ▪Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced in September 2026 that he will step down from his role by the end of the year
Smithsonian institutional independence
- ▪Historians and civil rights advocates criticized President Donald Trump's demands, warning that his actions risk reversing social progress and undermining the acknowledgment of critical phases of U.S. history
- ▪The Smithsonian Institution operates outside the executive branch and is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, bipartisan lawmakers, and citizens
Debatable claims
- ▪The federal government should cut funding to the Smithsonian over its exhibition content
- ▪The National Museum of American History should focus less on historical oppression
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