'Are We Creating Critical Thinkers?' Historians Say Smithsonian Review Reflects Today's Anti-Intellectualism

“We're in a very dangerous moment when everybody's considered an expert, where your training doesn't matter."

Sep 04, 2025

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(Photo by Frank Schulenburg via Wikimedia Commons)

Ask any historian what they felt when President Donald Trump announced in August that his team would conduct a “comprehensive internal review” of select Smithsonian Institute museums and exhibits, and they all have similar answers: Fear, despair and confusion. But what’s even more prominent and disconcer…

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A guest post by

Candice Frederick

Candice Frederick is a culture journalist who's previously served as a Senior Culture Reporter at HuffPost. She's also written for The Daily Beast, Time, New York Times, Washington Post, ELLE and Harper's Bazaar. She's based in Brooklyn, NY.