Trump asks Smithsonian for new Washington displays, but approval is unclear

President Donald Trump has asked the Smithsonian Institution to install new George Washington displays, including an 11-foot statue inside the National Museum of American History and a 30-foot statue outside it. No Smithsonian approval or installation has been announced.

Trump made the request in social media posts late Friday, September 11, 2026. He asked that the indoor statue be placed in Flag Hall for Constitution Day on September 17. He also called for an exhibition about Washington to run through February 22, 2032, the 300th anniversary of Washington’s birth.

Trump further proposed replacing the museum’s outdoor “Infinity” sculpture with a 30-foot statue of Washington. The sculpture, by artist Jose de Rivera, was commissioned by the federal government and installed in 1967, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

Trump’s request is not a Smithsonian decision

The social media posts do not amount to an executive order directing the Smithsonian to make the changes. The Smithsonian operates outside the executive branch and is governed through a Board of Regents.

Congress vested administration of the Smithsonian in a 17-member board consisting of the vice president, the chief justice of the United States, three senators, three representatives and nine citizen members. The board governs and administers the institution and appoints the Smithsonian secretary, who serves as its chief executive.

That makes the Board of Regents and Smithsonian officials the key bodies to watch for any authorized action involving the proposed statues, exhibition, location, funding or outdoor sculpture replacement. As of September 13, no official announcement has confirmed any of those steps.

The museum already has a major Washington sculpture

The National Museum of American History already displays a major Washington sculpture by Horatio Greenough. Completed in 1840, the approximately 11-foot marble work was commissioned by Congress and transferred to the Smithsonian in 1908.

The museum describes the sculpture as a classically inspired, symbolic portrait of Washington as a leader in war and peace. Washington is shown bare-chested and wearing classical robes, a design that drew criticism when the work was first displayed.

Broader White House pressure on the Smithsonian

Trump’s request follows a July 24 executive order titled “Restoring Trust in the Smithsonian Institution.” The order adopted the White House’s criticism of Smithsonian exhibits and directed federal officials to identify and use available authorities to address concerns described in an administration report. It also called for temporary signs and exhibits on National Park Service property near the National Museum of American History.

Those criticisms are the White House’s characterization of the institution’s exhibits. They should not be presented as an independent finding by the Smithsonian’s governing board or a court.

The dispute also comes during a leadership transition. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced on September 8 that he would retire at the end of 2026. The Board of Regents said it would later announce an acting secretary and begin a national search for his successor.

What to watch next

The next meaningful developments would be an official Smithsonian response, action by the Board of Regents, museum planning documents, evidence of funding, a site approval or confirmation of any Constitution Day installation.

Until then, Trump’s proposal represents presidential pressure on a federally chartered cultural institution, not a completed Smithsonian policy. The immediate question is whether the institution’s governing structure authorizes any part of the request and, if so, how museum officials would interpret Washington’s place in American history.

Sources

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