Governor Gavin Newsom of California has made a damning charge, saying that Donald Trump is trying to erase slavery from history. Following Trump’s vow to oppose what he described as woke ideology in museums, which infuriated Democrats and civil rights activists, the altercation broke out.
When Newsom shared a screenshot of one of Trump’s Truth Social tweets, the fight began. The governor added that Trump’s GOP has previously referred to slavery as a workforce development program and is now working to eradicate slavery from American history. Given the already heated political battle over how America’s history should be taught and remembered, the claim came as a shock.
Trump’s GOP is attempting to eradicate slavery from American history after previously referring to it as a workforce development program.image.twitter.com/zlKSFLWEiW
August 20, 2025, Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom)
Trump’s post didn’t do much to quell the ire. According to his own comments via Reuters, he called museums the final surviving section of WOKE, lamenting that they simply highlight how awful our nation is, how terrible slavery was, and how unachieved the oppressed have been. He maintained that there was nothing concerning the future, success, or brightness. We will not permit this to occur, Trump continued, and I have directed my lawyers to visit the museums and begin the same procedure that has been carried out with colleges and universities, where great strides have been made.
According to Newsom, the statement further supports his long-held claim that Republicans are trying to obscure the most troubling periods in American history. He denounced what he described as a dangerous trend during his South Carolina campaign last year for President Biden. As if Rosa Parks’ race didn’t deserve any attention in the history of the Civil Rights Movement, they attempted to have it removed from social studies textbooks. He claimed that slavery is in some ways a workforce development program.
The uproar is also reminiscent of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s shocking anti-woke curriculum announcement. Middle school teachers were encouraged under that program to inform their students that enslaved persons acquired talents that they could use for their own advantage in certain situations. Critics rushed to condemn it as a ludicrous misrepresentation that downplays the cruelty of slavery.
The White House has supported Trump’s demand for a comprehensive overhaul of the Smithsonian Institution on a national basis. The administration demanded in a letter to Secretary Lonnie Bunch III that any content that is visible to the public be examined, including exhibit texts, instructional materials, and social media posts.
According to the letter, the evaluation will evaluate congruence with American ideals, historical framework, and tone. It further stated that this campaign seeks to rebuild trust in our common cultural institutions, eliminate partisan or divisive storylines, and guarantee alignment with the President’s direction to promote American uniqueness.
Trump personally demanded that the Smithsonian remove offensive ideas from its museums and accused the organization of promoting a racially divisive philosophy. With a strong declaration of its own, the Smithsonian retaliated, promising to maintain academic brilliance, thorough study, and the truthful, realistic portrayal of history. Officials stressed ongoing cooperation with Congress and the Board of Regents and stated that they were examining the White House directive with this commitment in mind.
Trump wants to do away with mail-in voting.
I wonder why, gee.Twitter: pic.twitter.com/CRSqzPbNzY
August 20, 2025, Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom)
The National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden are the eight major museums that will be the subject of the first review.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture has been targeted, which particularly worries civil rights organizations. They contend that the administration is making an effort to minimize Black Americans’ contributions and reinterpret the tremendous hardships they endured. Activists caution that changing these accounts is an assault on reality itself, not merely a political issue.
Claims that the Smithsonian gave in to pressure or changed exhibits to meet Trump’s requests have been refuted. Critics, however, cite a recent instance in which Trump’s two impeachments were subtly removed from a presidential speech. Many saw it as a terrifying indication of how history may be changed in real time.
It has long been believed that museums can preserve history, no matter how vile. However, even the past is under attack in the current political environment. It is unclear if Trump’s campaign will be successful, but for Newsom and others, the lesson is clear: the struggle over slavery’s historical role is far from ended.
