Trump Bragged About Popularity, Sought to Avoid 'Difficult' Exhibits During Visit to AA Museum
Report: Trump Bragged About Popularity, Sought to Avoid ‘Difficult’ Exhibits During Visit to African-American History Museum
Per excerpts of the book published in the Washington Post, Bunch, the founding director of the NMAAHC, escorted Trump on a private tour of the newly opened museum and witnessed first-hand the president’s sometimes disconnected and tone deaf reactions to it.
Upon Trump’s arrival, Bunch writes that he was told the president “was in a foul mood and that did not want to see anything ‘difficult.'” Despite this guidance, the Smithsonian secretary said he did not sugarcoat the museum’s message. “It was not my job to make the rough edges of history smooth.”
During one section where the museum explores the role the Dutch played in the global slave trade, Bunch recalls Trump lingering over the exhibit. “As he pondered the label I felt that maybe he was paying attention to the work of the museum,” the Post quotes, from Bunch’s book. “He quickly proved me wrong. As he turned from the display he said to me, ‘You know, they love me in the Netherlands.’ All I could say was let’s continue walking.”
Though Trump became animated at the museum’s exhibits about Dr. Ben Carson — his own HUD Secretary, who was also on the tour — and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, Bunch writes that the rest of the president’s visit was an anti-climactic letdown. “There is little I remember about the rest of the hour we spent together. I was so disappointed in his response to one of the greatest crimes against humanity in history,” Bunch writes. “Here was a chance to broaden the views and the understanding of the incoming president and I had been less successful than I had expected.”
https://www.mediaite.com/news/report-trump-bragged-about-popularity-sought-to-avoid-difficult-exhibits-during-visit-to-african-american-history-museum/
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