President Donald Trump has called on the Smithsonian Institution to install a 30-foot statue of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History, along with launching a five-year exhibition centered on Washington's legacy. The proposal was shared on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, on Friday, where he criticized the Smithsonian for what he described as its failure to adequately honor the founding father during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Trump suggested the new statue, termed a “Colossus statue,” replace the abstract sculpture “Infinity” by José de Rivera, which was dedicated in 1967 as the first federally commissioned modern artwork for the National Mall. He characterized the existing work as uninspiring and disconnected from American heroes, asserting that Washington embodies the country’s ideals and freedoms.
In a separate post, Trump also urged the Smithsonian to display an 11-foot statue of Washington in its Flag Hall by Constitution Day on September 17. This statue was originally created for the Freedom 250 IndyCar race earlier this year.
The Smithsonian, which manages 21 museums and the National Zoo, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Though it receives about two-thirds of its $1 billion annual budget from the federal government, the institution operates independently of the executive branch.
Trump’s demands are rooted in his broader campaign to promote what he calls “patriotic” history and to encourage classical architecture and monumental art in Washington, D.C. This includes his previously proposed 250-foot-tall triumphal arch and a National Garden of American Heroes. His campaign also targets what he views as a politicized, negative portrayal of American history.
In March 2025, Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” accusing the Smithsonian of embracing “a divisive, race-centered ideology” and demanding that it return to its role as an emblem of American greatness. This directive intensified tensions between the Smithsonian and the White House.
Last week, Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Smithsonian’s secretary and the institution’s first Black scholar and historian to lead it, announced plans to step down by the end of the year. Bunch has been at the center of a strained relationship with the Trump administration, defending the Smithsonian’s independence while cooperating with government requests for information about its museums.
Trump’s focus on the nation’s founders has been a key aspect of his historical initiatives for the 250th anniversary. A White House report released on July 4 accused the National Museum of American History of promoting “extreme political activism” and downplaying the heroic narratives of the founding fathers, instead emphasizing their ties to slavery.
Among the specific criticisms reiterated by Trump was the claim that the museum does not feature Washington’s 1776 crossing of the Delaware River, an event Trump described as a pivotal Revolutionary War moment. This imagery is prominently displayed on the exterior of the Freedom Trucks, a Trump-supported mobile history museum traveling across the United States, which features videos with both Trump and an AI-generated Washington.
The administration has also revised historical presentations related to Washington on other federal sites. In February, the National Park Service removed panels at the President’s House in Philadelphia that detailed enslaved people Washington brought there during his presidency. The replacements, installed in July, offer a more general discussion of slavery and downplay or omit some references to Washington’s personal treatment of enslaved individuals.