California Governor Gavin Newsom has unleashed a scathing accusation, claiming Donald Trump is attempting to wipe slavery from the historical record. The clash erupted after Trump vowed to combat what he called “woke” ideology in museums, sparking outrage from Democrats and civil rights advocates.
The feud kicked off when Newsom posted a screenshot of one of Trump’s Truth Social messages. Alongside it, the governor declared, “Trump’s GOP has already called slavery a ‘workforce development program,’ now he is trying to ERASE slavery from U.S. history.” The charge landed hard, given the already tense political fight over how America’s past should be taught and remembered.
Trump’s GOP has already called slavery a “workforce development program” — now he is trying to ERASE slavery from U.S. history. pic.twitter.com/zlKSFLWEiW
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 20, 2025
Trump’s post did little to cool the fire. In his own words via Reuters, he labeled museums the “last remaining segment of ‘WOKE,’” complaining that they only focus on “how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been.” He insisted there was “nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future.” Trump added, “We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made.”
For Newsom, the statement was more proof of what he has long argued, that Republicans are attempting to whitewash the darkest chapters of American history. While campaigning for President Biden in South Carolina last year, he blasted what he called a dangerous trend. “They tried to erase Rosa Parks’ race in social studies books as if that didn’t merit any consideration in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Slavery somehow is a workforce development program,” he said.
The controversy also echoes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ release of an “anti-woke” curriculum that stunned educators and activists. That program instructed middle school teachers to tell students that enslaved people “developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Critics pounced, calling it an outrageous distortion that minimizes the brutality of slavery.
At the national level, the White House has backed Trump’s call for a sweeping review of the Smithsonian Institution. In a letter addressed to Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, the administration demanded scrutiny of all public-facing content, from social media posts to exhibit texts and educational materials.
The letter said the review would “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.” It added, “This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
Trump himself accused the Smithsonian of pushing a “divisive, race-centered ideology” and called for it to purge “improper ideology” from its museums. The Smithsonian pushed back with a firm statement of its own, pledging to uphold “scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history.” Officials said they were reviewing the White House directive “with this commitment in mind” and emphasized continued collaboration with Congress and the Board of Regents.
Trump wants to eliminate vote by mail.
Gee, I wonder why. pic.twitter.com/CRSqzPbNzY
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 20, 2025
The initial review will focus on eight major Smithsonian museums, including 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.
Civil rights groups are especially alarmed at the targeting of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. They argue the administration is attempting to downplay the contributions of Black Americans and reframe the immense struggles they faced. Activists warn that revising these stories is not just a matter of politics but an attack on truth itself.
The Smithsonian has denied claims that it caved to pressure or altered exhibits to satisfy Trump’s demands. Still, critics point to a recent example, when references to Trump’s two impeachments quietly vanished from a presidential display. To many, it was a chilling sign of how history might be rewritten in real time.
Museums have long been trusted to preserve history no matter how sordid. But in today’s political climate, even the past is under siege. Whether Trump’s push will succeed remains to be seen, but for Newsom and others, the warning is clear, the fight over slavery’s place in history is far from finished.
