Trump Demands George Washington Statue Replace Smithsonian Sculpture

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Former President Donald Trump has called for the installation of a monumental George Washington statue outside the National Museum of American History, initiating a series of demands for the Smithsonian Institution. In a flurry of Truth Social posts published late Friday, Trump also advocated for an exhibition dedicated to the nation's first president, which he said should open soon and continue until February 22, 2032, marking the 300th anniversary of Washington's birth. The statue, he stated, should be erected on September 17, which is Constitution Day in the United States. A work standing 11 feet tall was recently showcased in the museum's Flag Hall during the Freedom 250 IndyCar race.

Writing while en route to his golf course in Ireland, Trump additionally demanded that a 30-foot statue of Washington replace Infinity, a kinetic sculpture by New York artist José de Rivera. This work, dedicated by the federal government in 1967, is currently situated at the south entrance of the National Museum of American History. Trump stated,“Replace a sculpture that says nothing about America with the man who, more than anyone else, says everything about America,” describing Washington as“easily America's Greatest Hero. Without him, our Country and our Freedoms wouldn't exist.”

Infinity holds significance as the inaugural work of modern art commissioned by the US government under the Art and Architecture Program for the National Mall. The sculpture consists of a polished stainless steel ribbon on a black granite base, which has rotated continuously since its dedication, completing a full revolution every six minutes. De Rivera, whose sculptures are located in public spaces across the United States, passed away in 1985. Trump further criticized the artwork, saying,“That strange modernist sculpture tells visitors nothing about America, inspires no one, and honors none of our Great American Heroes.”

In a separate post, Trump accused the Smithsonian of failing to adequately celebrate George Washington and other Founding Fathers on the 250th anniversary of the nation's independence. He specifically noted,“Washington's Heroic Crossing of the Delaware on December 25, 1776, One of the greatest moments and turning points of the Revolution, is not even mentioned in the Museum.” However, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History 's collection does include several items depicting Washington's crossing of the Delaware, such as a colored print by Thomas Kelly, another colored print based on Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze 's renowned 1850 painting, an 1853 engraving titled Washington Crossing the Delaware, also based on Leutze's work, and a 2021 US quarter showing Washington rallying his troops to cross the river.

It is uncertain whether Trump possesses the authority to order the removal of Infinity, given the Smithsonian 's operational independence from the executive branch. Nevertheless, federal funds constitute a substantial portion of its annual budget, and its Board of Regents includes Vice President JD Vance, who has been a leader in the Trump administration's involvement in the museum network's operations. Trump has previously bypassed traditional congressional approval for significant alterations to the Capitol's cultural landscape. A divided Supreme Court recently permitted his ballroom project, intended to replace the East Wing, to proceed, with dissenting justices labeling its construction as“likely unlawful.” Additionally, a towering sculpture by Joel Shapiro, which had been displayed at the Kennedy Center since 2019 after the artist gifted it, was dismantled. The Kennedy Center did not provide a reason for its removal, though Shapiro's daughter informed The Times that the artist would have been“alarmed” by the action. The Shapiro piece, a blue, stick-like figure, was ultimately acquired by the center's former chairman, David Rubenstein.

Trump's demands follow days after Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III announced his retirement. For over a year, Bunch and the Trump administration have disagreed over allegations that the Smithsonian was presenting an unfavorable view of American history. Bunch rejected these claims, asserting that the institution's exhibitions were founded on rigorous scholarship. Trump posted on Friday,“Under recently ended leadership, the Smithsonian created a 'Center for Restorative History,' and commissioned a 'Decolonization Plan,' to focus attention overwhelmingly on those who have been oppressed, but there is almost no attention paid to those who triumphed over great oppression, and against great odds.” He added,“One current exhibit describes the period of 1492 to 1776, including Christopher Columbus's discovery of the New World, and the European settlement of America, as the 'Great Unsettling' of the Continent. That tells you all you need to know about how twisted the thinking is today at the Smithsonian.”

We previously reported:

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is removing Joel Shapiro's“Blue” sculpture, prompting backlash from a former curator and activists.

Excavation for Donald Trump's proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch in Washington, D.C., is expected to begin in the next two weeks, according to the Secretary of

Source: ARTnews

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