Trump Urges Smithsonian to Swap Modern Sculpture for Giant Washington Statue

President Donald Trump has ordered the Smithsonian Institution to remove a longstanding modernist sculpture from outside the National Museum of American History and replace it with a towering 30-foot statue of George Washington. The directive, posted on Truth Social, frames the change as essential preparation for the nation’s first president’s 300th birthday in 2032 and calls the current work a “strange modernist” piece that “inspires no one.”

The targeted sculpture, titled “Infinity” and created by abstract artist Jose de Rivera, was installed in 1967 as the first modern artwork commissioned by the federal government for the National Mall. The rotating piece has stood as a welcoming landmark for visitors for nearly six decades. Trump proposed first moving an 11-foot Washington statue from a recent Freedom 250 event into the museum’s Flag Hall by Constitution Day on September 17, followed by a five-year exhibition on Washington’s life before erecting the larger colossus in “Infinity’s” place.

In his posts, Trump argued that the existing sculpture “says nothing about America” while Washington “more than anyone else, says everything about America.” The proposal arrives amid the planned retirement of Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch at year’s end. Bunch oversaw the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and broader institutional efforts that drew criticism from conservatives for emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion themes alongside contemporary art.

Critics of the move see it as another instance of the administration inserting itself into decisions traditionally left to museum professionals and curators. The Smithsonian operates with a mix of federal funding and private support, and its leadership has historically balanced preservation of American history with evolving interpretations of art and culture. Replacing a mid-century abstract work with a monumental figurative statue echoes earlier debates over what constitutes appropriate public commemoration, often pitting traditional heroic imagery against more experimental forms.

Supporters of Trump’s plan, including voices in conservative outlets, have welcomed the shift as a correction against what they describe as excessive focus on modernist and identity-driven displays during Bunch’s tenure. They point to the sculpture’s abstract design as disconnected from the museum’s mission of telling the nation’s story. Trump’s language emphasizes inspiration and national pride, positioning the colossus as a fitting tribute ahead of Washington’s tricentennial.

The episode highlights ongoing tensions over the role of federal cultural institutions. While Trump presents the change as a straightforward restoration of historical reverence, opponents view the demand as an attempt to impose a narrow aesthetic and historical lens on publicly supported spaces. Museum staff have not yet issued a formal response, though the timeline Trump outlined would require rapid design and installation work to meet the proposed September deadline for the initial statue placement.

As the Smithsonian prepares for new leadership, the controversy over “Infinity” and its potential successor is likely to fuel wider discussion about whose vision of American identity should be prioritized in the capital’s most prominent cultural venues.