Trump Asks Smithsonian to Put Up Giant George Washington Statue

President Donald Trump posted on social media late Friday asking the Smithsonian Institution to put up a huge 30-foot statue of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History. Trump called it a "Colossus statue" and said it should come with a special exhibit honoring Washington. He wants the exhibit to stay open through February 2032, the 300th anniversary of Washington's birth. Trump wrote on Truth Social, "He is easily America's Greatest Hero. Without him, our Country and our Freedoms wouldn't exist."

Trump made the post while flying to his golf course in Ireland. He complained that the museum does not properly honor Washington's most famous moments from the Revolutionary War. He said the museum does not mention Washington's famous crossing of the Delaware River, which Trump called "one of the greatest moments and turning points of the Revolution." He also said Washington's victory at the Battle of Trenton is not highlighted enough.

If Trump's idea were approved, the giant Washington statue would replace a sculpture already standing outside the museum. That sculpture, called "Infinity," was made by New York artist José de Rivera. The federal government paid for it, and it has stood there since 1967. Trump has not said what should happen to the Rivera sculpture if it is removed.

Trump has been pushing the Smithsonian to change how it presents American history for some time. His administration released a 162-page report in March 2025 saying the museum focuses too much on oppression and social justice instead of shared national achievements. In July, Trump ordered signs to be placed outside the museum telling visitors that some exhibits may be inaccurate. Those signs have not appeared yet.

Trump also suggested replacing the museum's Center for Restorative History with a new "Center for American Heroes." The Center for Restorative History was a program that highlighted stories of people who had been left out of official history books. It recently ended. Trump believes the museum should focus more on celebrating American heroes instead.

However, it is not clear that Trump actually has the power to order the Smithsonian to make these changes. The Smithsonian is not part of the executive branch, which is the part of government the president controls. It is led by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, and a mix of lawmakers from both parties, as well as private citizens. Because of this, the president cannot simply command the museum to do what he wants.

The Smithsonian's leader, Secretary Lonnie Bunch, recently announced he will step down by the end of the year after seven years in his role. Before his announcement, Bunch had spoken out about protecting the museum's independence. "We're at a time when people are challenging that independence," Bunch told the Washington Post. He added that he would keep fighting for the Smithsonian's independence for as long as he remained in his position.

The Smithsonian is not the only cultural institution feeling pressure from the Trump administration. The board of the Kennedy Center recently removed a sculpture called "Blue" from its grounds without any public announcement or discussion. The sculpture had been there since 2019. It was made by the late New York artist Joel Shapiro.

Trump has shown a strong interest in statues and public art throughout his time in office. He has proposed a "Garden of Heroes" along the Potomac River to display statues of 250 famous Americans, and he placed a statue of Washington in the newly remodeled White House Rose Garden. Changing how art appears in government spaces is clearly important to his administration. The State Department has also said it is considering selling a painting removed from the U.S. embassy in the Dominican Republic, made by artist Kehinde Wiley, who also painted Barack Obama's official presidential portrait.