INTERNACIONAL
Trump White House calls out Smithsonian for pushing ‘one-sided, divisive political narratives’
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EXCLUSIVE: The Trump administration is turning its attention to the Smithsonian Institution, accusing the taxpayer-funded museum complex of using federal dollars to promote what it calls «one-sided, divisive political narratives» that fail to honor the greatness of the American story.
White House official Lindsey Halligan blasted content currently on display at the National Museum of American History’s Entertainment Nation exhibit in an exclusive email to Fox News Digital.
The exhibit, which explores American pop culture, has drawn internal and external criticism for what some see as a politically loaded interpretation of cultural milestones.
«American taxpayers should not be funding institutions that undermine our country or promote one-sided, divisive political narratives,» Halligan said. «The Smithsonian Institution should present history in a way that is accurate, balanced, and consistent with the values that make the United States of America exceptional.»
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C-3PO and R2-D2 costumes are shown at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History with a panel crediting Star Wars for inspiring America during post-Vietnam uncertainty and the Nixon-era scandal. (Fox News Digital)
The White House statement comes on the heels of several striking examples from the exhibit.
One placard, featured alongside a 1923 circus poster, reads: «Under the big top, circuses expressed the colonial impulse to claim dominion over the world.» Another, describing early American entertainment, declares: «One of the earliest defining traits of entertainment in the United States was extraordinary violence.»
The exhibit reframes iconic American characters through a critical, politically-charged lens. On The Lone Ranger, the display states: «The White title character’s relationship with Tonto resembled how the U.S. government imagined itself the world’s Lone Ranger.»
Mickey Mouse, a beloved American cultural icon, is not spared either. A display for the 1928 cartoon Steamboat Willie states, «Mickey challenged authority, but not everyone was in on the joke.»
It continues: «Mickey Mouse debuted as the deckhand ‘Steamboat Willie’ in 1928, amidst a rising anxiety felt by many that modern living and city life were eroding family and community ties and loosening moral codes… But the new character’s outsized facial features, white gloves, and trickster temperament were vestiges of longstanding traditions of blackface minstrelsy.»
In reference to the Indiana Jones film series, another panel reads: «His character embodied a confident righteousness that, in many ways, captured the essence of the 1980s» above another subhead referencing President Ronald Reagan’s famous speech, asking, «Are you better off?»
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A Smithsonian exhibit placard from the National Museum of American History describes 1920s circus performances as expressing «the colonial impulse to claim dominion over the world.» (Fox News Digital)
One panel calls Magnum, P.I. a challenge to the «popular perceptions of Vietnam veterans as damaged misfits.» A section on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show refers to it as «the go-to for viewers who mistrusted politicians and the reporting process.»
Another panel highlights the late pop star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez and frames her cultural impact through identity politics.
«Selena got us talking about identity,» with a quote from the late singer reading, «I feel very proud to be Mexican.»
The text goes on to say her work «cast a light on the longstanding cultural and growing political influence of Mexican American and Latinx communities within the United States.»
«The examples [Fox News Digital] highlighted from the National Museum of American History are part of the problem the Trump Administration aims to fix,» Halligan said. «Framing American culture as inherently violent, imperialist, or racist does not reflect the greatness of our nation or the millions of Americans who have contributed to its progress.»
A display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History explores changing gender norms, featuring Mae West, Judy Garland, and Olympic swimmer Gertrude Ederle. The backdrop includes a quote in English and Spanish: «When I’m bad, I’m better.» (Fox News Digital)
Halligan confirmed that a top-to-bottom content review is already underway, with input from senior Smithsonian leaders and the Board of Regents. «We are working with leadership at the Smithsonian to audit and review all content at the museums,» she said, «and we are committed to ensuring that such content honors our country’s founding principles, tells the stories of American heroes, and does not promote fringe or activist ideologies masquerading as history.»
She added, «We will provide updates on this audit as our progress unfolds.»
The Smithsonian Institution responded to Fox News Digital with the following brief written statement: «The museum is committed to continuous and rigorous scholarship and research and unbiased presentation of facts and history. As such, and as previously announced, we are assessing content in Smithsonian museums and will make any necessary changes to ensure our content meets our standards.»
The Institution did not answer specific questions regarding who authored the Entertainment Nation exhibit, whether outside academic consultants or activist organizations were involved, or who made the decision to present all exhibit text bilingually in English and Spanish.
The controversy comes amid a broader push by President Donald Trump to reshape cultural institutions he says have veered too far left.
In March, Trump issued an executive order directing the Board of Regents to eliminate «improper, divisive or anti-American ideology» from Smithsonian museums. He accused the institution of embracing what he called «a revisionist movement» aimed at «undermining the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.»
The Board of Regents includes the vice president, the chief justice of the United States, six members of Congress, and nine citizen regents.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Congressman Carlos Giménez, both recent appointees, have advocated for an expedited review of Smithsonian content. Giménez, in a prior interview with The Wall Street Journal, confirmed tensions at the board’s June meeting over how quickly to proceed, though ultimately a compromise was reached.
The Smithsonian receives approximately two-thirds of its $1 billion annual budget from federal appropriations.
The Entertainment Nation exhibit opened in December 2022 and was billed as a permanent exhibition to «celebrate the power of popular culture to shape and reflect history.» It is housed in a prime space on the museum’s west wing and features artifacts and media from movies, television, sports, and music.
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While the museum’s stated goal is to explore how entertainment intersects with American identity, the Trump administration argues that it instead uses culture to smuggle in ideology often at odds with the values most Americans hold.
«Americans deserve a Smithsonian that inspires national pride, tells the truth, and reflects the greatness of this country,» Halligan said. «Not one that serves as an agent for social change and cultural subversion.»
INTERNACIONAL
List of countries taking in illegal immigrant deportees grows with latest African partners
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President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts gained new momentum this week when Rwanda signed a formal third-country agreement, part of a broader push to partner with nations willing to accept deportees whose home countries refuse to take them back or present other barriers.
RWANDA
Officials in Rwanda agreed to take in 250 illegal immigrants in a deal forged with the State Department Tuesday, joining nearly a half-dozen other nations that have done the same.
When the talks between Washington and Kigali began earlier this year, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the idea is not new to his country, as it previously forged a similar deal with the United Kingdom that was nixed by a London court.
Illegal immigrants deported from the U.S. will be given help to get back on their feet, according to a spokesperson for Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
They will need to be individually approved for resettlement and then receive «workforce training, healthcare and accommodation to jump-start their lives in Rwanda,» the spokeswoman, Yolande Makolo, told the BBC.
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Rwandan diplomat Olivier Nduhungirehe, left, with President Donald Trump (Reuters)
ESWATINI/SWAZILAND
In another African nation, Eswatini, named Swaziland until 2018, five foreign nationals were deported from the U.S. to Mbabane in July.
But that operation reportedly lacked the same formal third-country agreement as Rwanda.
The tiny landlocked country, the last absolute monarchy on the continent, abuts Mozambique and South Africa.
The deported men were all convicted of crimes ranging from battery to murder to gang activity and methamphetamine-related offenses.
«This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,» DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
«These depraved monsters have been terrorizing American communities, but thanks to [Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem] they are off of American soil.»
The convicts hailed from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen.
A spokesman for King Mswati III, who has ruled Eswatini since 1986, told the BBC Eswatini hopes to «facilitate» returning the criminals to their homelands.
SOUTH SUDAN
South Sudan also received eight deportees in July.
Boston federal Judge Brian Murphy issued a preliminary injunction blocking Sudanese deportations and others, ruling migrants needed opportunities to file for protection under a U.S. diplomatic Convention Against Torture (CAT) that precludes expatriation to dangerous countries.
The Supreme Court later stayed Murphy’s ruling.
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COSTA RICA
In February, Costa Rica agreed to accept 200 deported migrants, which included some foreign nationals from India, according to VisaVerge. That nation’s law allows temporary migrant sheltering.
The government in San Jose also reportedly forged a $7.8 million deal in which the U.S. would help it deport immigrants, according to Reuters. The wire service further confirmed the February report.
PANAMA
Also in February, Panama’s foreign ministry told CBS News its first flight of about 200 non-Panamanian deportees arrived from the U.S. under another agreement forged with Washington.
The U.S. will cover the cost of those deportations, which included migrants of mostly Asian descent, from countries like China, Uzbekistan, Nepal, India and Vietnam. Migrants from as far afield as Cameroon and Iran were also reportedly among the group.
EL SALVADOR
The most visible country to aid in deportation efforts has been El Salvador, where congressional Democrats flew after a suspected human trafficker living in Maryland was deported to its infamous CECOT prison.
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Democrats like Hunter Biden have called out the Trump administration for the effort, which has been met by incredulous responses, such as a retort from Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele.
Bukele poked fun at Biden’s past drug use in response, asking on X if he was «sniffing powdered milk» when the former first son claimed he would threaten to invade El Salvador if he were elected president and if it refused to return deportees.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., was the first to fly to San Salvador to visit Garcia, a trip that appeared to inspire more Democrats to go and others to attempt to gain entry into domestic ICE sites in Newark, Baltimore and New York City.
Fox News’ Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
illegal immigrants,africa,immigration,donald trump,homeland security
INTERNACIONAL
La historia detrás del imbatible récord que Jonathan Edwards mantiene vigente después de 30 años
El 7 de agosto de 1995, el estadio Ullevi en Gotemburgo, Suecia, fue testigo de un momento que marcó un antes y un después en el atletismo. Durante el Campeonato Mundial de Atletismo, Jonathan Edwards, representante de Gran Bretaña, desafió los límites de la disciplina al lograr un salto de 18,29 metros en la prueba de triple salto masculino. Este logro no solo le otorgó la medalla de oro, sino que lo enalteció como protagonista de una de las gestas más impresionantes y perdurables del deporte mundial.
El desarrollo de la prueba fue vertiginoso. En su primer intento, Edwards rompió la barrera simbólica de los 18 metros, transformándose en el primer atleta masculino en lograrlo dentro de una competencia oficial. La hazaña no se detuvo allí; en su segundo salto, extendió su propio récord, aterrizando a 18,29 metros, estableciendo una distancia que ningún rival pudo aproximar. El principal contendiente, Brian Wellman de Bermudas, quedó relegado a más de medio metro por detrás, un margen inédito en una final de este nivel.
La superioridad de Edwards quedó consolidada con su tercer intento de 17,49 metros, que si bien fue inferior a los dos anteriores, bastó para sellar su dominio y asegurar la medalla dorada.
La magnitud de la marca alcanzada por Edwards se evidenció en la reacción tanto del público como del propio protagonista, que no tardó en mostrar sorpresa y satisfacción tras observar el resultado en la pantalla gigante del estadio. “Pensé que fácilmente podría no ganar”, recordó en declaraciones levantadas por CNN. Y agregó: “Tenía la posibilidad de no ganar, y eso sería un desastre, a pesar de haber saltado tan bien durante todo el año”.
En las entrevistas posteriores, transmitió su alegría por haber logrado algo que ningún otro hombre había hecho antes: superar y mejorar la marca histórica del triple salto. Lejos de considerarse una figura poderosa dentro del atletismo, resaltó sus características físicas poco convencionales —piernas delgadas y escasa contextura muscular— como elementos que hacían aún más sorprendente su éxito. Para él, la experiencia de convertirse en el mejor del mundo se tornó excepcional, tanto en términos deportivos como personales.
Además, el récord redefinió la competición en Gotemburgo: tras los dos saltos exitosos de Edwards, la lucha por el oro quedó prácticamente resuelta, enfocando la atención global en el alcance de la marca en sí.
Desde 1995, ningún otro atleta consiguió superar el registro de 18,29 metros, lo que confiere al salto de Edwards un estatus especial dentro del atletismo de élite. En treinta años, la marca se ha convertido en una referencia histórica y, según los especialistas citados por CNN, representa uno de los récords más sólidos de la era moderna.
En términos comparativos, solo dos récords masculinos en pruebas de campo han mostrado una vigencia similar o mayor: el de Mike Powell en salto de longitud (8,95 metros alcanzados en 1991) y el de Javier Sotomayor en salto de altura (2,45 metros logrados en 1993).
El propio Edwards atribuye su éxito a una combinación única de velocidad y ligereza, poco habitual en un deporte que, con el paso de los años, ha tendido a priorizar la potencia muscular sobre las cualidades aerodinámicas y la velocidad de carrera.
Mientras la mayoría de los competidores más recientes presentan una complexión más robusta, Edwards destaca que su método remitía a una suerte de “rebote” más que a un salto tradicional, permitiéndole mantener una velocidad máxima durante las distintas fases del salto, algo que pocos han logrado replicar. En su análisis, el predominio actual de saltadores más potentes física y muscularmente ha hecho que la técnica rápida y fluida que él supo explotar resulte menos frecuente y, en la práctica, casi inalcanzable.
Edwards destacó no solo por su rendimiento deportivo, sino también por la singularidad de su trayectoria personal y motivacional. Su impulso inicial hacia el deporte profesional se cimentó más en convicciones personales que en ambiciones estrictamente deportivas. La fe cristiana jugó un papel decisivo durante sus primeros años, otorgando sentido a su carrera y brindando una perspectiva que le permitió afrontar la presión de la alta competencia desde una dimensión espiritual.
El entorno familiar, en particular su padre —vicario de la Iglesia de Inglaterra—, lo animó a identificar y potenciar el talento recibido, bajo una ética de responsabilidad y aprovechamiento de los dones personales. Esta actitud forjó una resiliencia notable, que le permitió sobrellevar la exigencia de una disciplina tan compleja como el triple salto.
Su expresión más memorable fuera de la pista se produjo en Lille, Francia, en 1995, donde realizó un salto no oficial de 18,43 metros que, si bien superaba su propio récord, fue invalidado por las condiciones de viento. Ese momento, más allá de la validación oficial, representó el cenit técnico de su carrera, y subrayó que alcanzar la perfección en esta disciplina depende de múltiples elementos que rara vez coinciden.
INTERNACIONAL
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