Trump urges Smithsonian to replace sculpture with Washington statue

President Donald Trump has called on the Smithsonian Institution to replace the modernist sculpture “Infinity” outside the National Museum of American History with a large statue of George Washington. In social media posts on Friday, Trump said the sculpture does not represent America, while arguing that Washington better reflects the nation’s founding. He also asked the museum to create a fiveyear exhibition focused on Washington that would run until 2032, the 300th anniversary of his birth. Trump has repeatedly criticized the Smithsonian’s treatment of American history and has pushed for more attention to Washington and other Founding Fathers. The Smithsonian, which operates outside the executive branch, has not said whether it will follow the request.