Trump Asks Smithsonian to Install ‘Colossus Statue’ of George Washington with Exhibit

The Smithsonian Institution has been a beacon of American history and culture for over two centuries. Its galleries and exhibitions reflect the country’s rich history, including its achievements and struggles. Donald Trump’s latest request to install a 30-foot “Colossus statue” of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History, however, suggests that the institution is becoming a battleground in the president’s quest for patriotic validation.

Trump’s desire to reassert Washington’s legacy in the nation’s capital is not surprising. He believes the first president’s heroism and leadership are being overlooked by a museum that has become too focused on social justice and division. This perception stems from Trump’s own nostalgia for an America of grand achievements and unifying myths.

The proposed statue would dwarf the current Infinity sculpture by José de Rivera, but what’s striking about this request is not just its size or supposed purpose – to honor Washington’s “fabled crossing of the Delaware” and his victory at Trenton. Rather, it’s the implicit message that Trump is trying to send: he sees himself as the chief curator of America’s national identity.

The Smithsonian operates outside the executive branch, with its leadership overseen by a board of regents that includes respected figures like JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, and lawmakers from both parties. Trump may have his allies on other boards, but he doesn’t have direct control over these institutions – or at least, not yet.

In recent months, we’ve seen a pattern emerge: Trump’s administration trying to assert its influence over the arts and culture landscape of Washington D.C. On Constitution Day last month, he asked the Smithsonian to install a statue of Washington outside the Flag Hall; just weeks ago, the state department announced plans to sell a painting by Kehinde Wiley that had been commissioned for the US embassy in the Dominican Republic.

This raises questions about Trump’s vision for America: is it really about honoring national heroes or imposing a particular ideological framework on our cultural institutions? The line between patriotism and propaganda can be perilously thin, especially when the power to shape our collective narrative is at stake.

The Smithsonian’s secretary, Lonnie Bunch, has been vocal in defending the institution’s independence. However, his departure by year’s end raises questions about the future of this struggle. As Trump continues to push for a “Center for American Heroes” instead of the Center for Restorative History, we’re reminded that our national identity is always subject to revision and reinterpretation.

The Smithsonian board of regents – and the American people – will ultimately decide whether Trump’s vision for America will be enshrined in marble or rejected as a misreading of history. The fate of this Colossus statue hangs precariously in the balance, but one thing is clear: our national identity is not just about grand monuments; it’s also about how we choose to remember – and reinterpret – our past.

As this drama unfolds, it’s worth recalling that art and culture are never just about aesthetics or entertainment. They’re about the values and ideas that shape a society. Trump’s Colossus may be a symbol of his own ambition, but it also represents a broader struggle over what America stands for – and what our shared history should mean to us.