Published on April 18, 2026 at 16:59 – Updated on April 18, 2026 at 17:47 Reading Time: 3min – Video: 3min
Donald Trump continues his cultural battle from the White House. His current message: America should be proud of itself. Trump is now rewriting American history to focus only on glory and beauty. This text is part of the transcription of the above report. Click on the video to watch it in full.
Donald Trump has his own view of American history, especially regarding George Washington. In January, an exhibition on the first president’s slave-owning past in Philadelphia was removed on orders from the White House. “Cameras filmed employees taking down the exhibition,” reported FOX 29 Philadelphia on January 24, 2026. “This is part of President Trump’s plan to remove displays that, according to him, divide Americans,” stated 6abc Philadelphia on September 17, 2025.
So, who was George Washington and why is the Trump administration trying to hide part of his history? Washington is considered one of the founders of modern democracy, having been a hero in the US War of Independence and the country’s first president in 1789. Another aspect of his life that interests historians is his role as a slave owner. Historian Woody Holton explains that without slaves, Washington would not have acquired the wealth that made him famous. Trump is trying to rewrite this chapter of US history by issuing decrees to “restore truth and reason to American history.”
Although Washington practiced slavery, Trump’s administration is trying to downplay this fact. The narrative on the monument’s website has evolved to depict Washington as a humane slave owner. However, historians caution against simplifying this complex history, emphasizing the need for evidence, scholarship, and analysis in historical narratives.
Despite being a central figure in American history, George Washington’s slave-owning past cannot be ignored, as historians warn against attempts to sugarcoat it, as Trump is doing.
