Rep. Horsford: No President has the Power to Rewrite History

LAS VEGAS, NV – Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) today spoke out in opposition to action President Trump took on Thursday, March 28 to force changes to programs at the Smithsonian Institution that don’t align with his political ideology.

Trump claimed that over the past decade, there has been a “concerted and widespread” effort to rewrite history by replacing objective facts, casting the “founding principles” of the United States in a “negative light.” 

“Presidents are elected to run our government – not rewrite our history,” Rep. Horsford said. “Programs that memorialize painful truths help ensure past wrongs are never revived to harm again. Without institutions like the National Museum of African American History and Culture capturing those struggles for posterity, it is impossible to pursue a more perfect union as our Constitution calls each of us to do.

“The deepest irony is that Trump is framing this as a way to ensure our founding principles are not shown in a negative light,” Horsford continued. “Given his concern for the Constitution, I offer some free advice: undermining birthright citizenship is unconstitutional. Arresting American citizens who happen to disagree with you is unconstitutional. Shutting down Congressionally authorized federal entities is unconstitutional. Threatening to invade another nation without Congressional approval is unconstitutional. Disregarding court orders is unconstitutional. Invoking wartime powers during a time of peace to throw people out of the country without due process is unconstitutional. I could go on, but President Trump has his work cut out for him just addressing these wrongs, and it’s only been two months.

“Nevadans and people all across the country are waiting for President Trump to make good on his campaign promises to bring rising costs down,” Horsford added. “So far, all he’s brought down are American values.”

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