Trump, who has been at odd with various cultural institutions since returning to office in January, added that he had “instructed” his attorneys to begin the “exact same process” he has used against colleges and universities.

The remark, made as the president has ordered a wide-ranging review of museum exhibits, added to his pattern of minimizing Black history.

Scholars are pushing back against the Trump administration’s plan to conduct a "comprehensive internal review" of the Smithsonian, viewing it as political interference.