President Trump recently described Smithsonian museums as “out of control” for emphasizing, in his view, “how bad slavery was.” He’s accused cultural institutions of rewriting our nation’s history, claiming these efforts “undermine” America’s achievements by casting our founding principles as “inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”
But let’s pause there real quick. Because history isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the full story — the triumphs and the traumas. Trying to sanitize historical facts is anti-democratic.
Here’s the irony: In 2017, after visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Trump had nothing but praise.
Don’t take my word for it — take his. “It’s a great honor to be here,” Trump said. “This was some beautiful morning and what a job they’ve done, like few others has been able to do.”
And he didn’t stop there. Trump continued: “This museum is a beautiful tribute to so many American heroes. Heros like Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Booker T Washington, Rosa Parks, the Greensboro students, and the African American Medal of Honor recipients, among so many other really incredible heroes. It’s amazing to see. I went on a pretty comprehensive tour, but not comprehensive enough … I’ll be back.”
There’s more. … “This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.”
Hmmmm.
Well, back then, he understood that America’s greatness cannot be separated from its struggles. Exhibits like the ones at the Smithsonian take years of work, guided by scholars and curators, to present history that is both honest and complete.
So what changed?
Because slavery is not a footnote — it’s the foundation of this country. Literally. By 1840, enslaved labor made the U.S. the world’s top cotton producer, enriching both Southern plantations and Northern industries. Enslaved people built the roads, canals and railroads that connected the nation. Their forced labor created — and concentrated — wealth, cementing disparities that ripple through today.
Some say, “That was so long ago, what does that have to do with me, today?” Well, everything. Slavery denied Black families the chance to build and accumulate wealth. Meanwhile, white families benefited from programs like the Homestead Act and the GI Bill, which were not equally applied to Black Americans. Wealth, like trauma, passes down.
That’s why today the average Black household has less than one-fifth the wealth of a white household. And practices like redlining and unequal access to capital continue to keep the gap wide.
We can hold two truths at once: America is a place of immense opportunity, and America is still living in the long shadow of slavery, Jim Crow, and systemic racism. To ignore that reality isn’t patriotism — it’s denial. And the way forward isn’t to sweep it under the rug, but to have leaders who fully understand how slavery and the racism that followed still echo through society today — and who are committed to doing the hard work to finally rectify it.
And yet, since returning to office, Trump has shifted. He’s signed executive orders limiting how Black history can be taught. Rolled back civil rights protections. Attacked DEI initiatives. Restored Confederate names to bases and monuments. He’s not the same guy who once said “we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms.” That same person now dismisses the examination of slavery as being “too negative.”
So I have to ask: Is this about his cognitive health? Did he not mean what he said in 2017? Or is this an intentional attempt to reshape the story of America and erase the uncomfortable truths so that only the glossy parts are left over?
If that’s the goal, then let me be clear: That’s not patriotism. That’s propaganda. The real American story — the one that makes us strong — is not about covering up our wounds. It’s about confronting them, healing from them, and building a country where the next generation, like my daughter, can stand taller because we all had the courage to tell the truth.
Lindsey Granger is a News Nation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary.
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