The fact-dropping guest on a recent CNN panel was fitness expert Jillian Michaels, best known for her work on the “Biggest Loser” program. On a recent show she jumped into a heated discussion over how U.S. history is depicted at the Smithsonian Institute, where some controversial exhibits are being targeted by the Trump administration.
Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky claimed President Trump – “Dear Leader,” she called him – has chosen some “random person” to review the Smithsonian exhibits to please far-right voters.
“Things that don’t offend parts of the MAGA base, right?” Roginsky said.
“Can you address some of those things that are in there?” Michaels countered. “Have you looked at some of the things that are being reviewed?”
“Yeah, slavery was a bad thing for us to talk about,” Roginsky shot back.
“He’s not white-washing slavery,” Michaels insisted.
“He’s not?” Roginsky sarcastically asked.
“No, he’s not,” Michaels replied.
Roginsky and the CNN panel were referring to a mandatory review of the Smithsonian and its eight museums. The review was ordered after a March executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” signed by President Trump.
The “random person” Roginsky was referring to is Florida attorney Lindsey Halligan, who is currently special assistant to President Trump. She is overseeing the review, along with Vice President J.D. Vance, for museum exhibits that are divisive and have ideologically-driven narratives.
In the discussion about slavery, Michaels attempted to explain only two percent of Americans owned slaves during the U.S. Civil War. That attempt to drop a fact into the discussion devolved into cross talk with liberal panelists until show host Abby Phillips gained control and lectured Michaels.
“Jillian, I’m surprised that you’re trying to litigate who was the beneficiary of slavery and who was not,” Phillips told her guest. “In the context of American history, what are you saying is incorrect by saying it was white people oppressing black people?”
Replying to Phillips, Michaels said many of the controversial Smithsonian exhibits can be reduced to a left-wing ideology, which she called “white people bad.” That ideology is lying about American history, she said, because it simplifies a more complex period of our history.
After claiming she has other examples in front of her, Michaels was challenged by Phillips to give them to make her case, which she did. Michaels said an exhibit about Cuba-Americans coming to America excludes any reference to the nation’s Communist dictator, Fidel Castro.
Michaels then criticized a transgender-friendly Smithsonian exhibit. The exhibit called “Change Your Game” attempts to defend transgender athletes, men competing in women’s sports, by claiming the issue is a “complex” one.
“It’s not complex. It’s basic science,” Michaels told the panel. “That’s untrue. It’s XX chromosome, XY chromosome.”
Michaels then concluded the Smithsonian has been “totally captured,” referring to far-left ideology, and deserves the review it’s currently undergoing.
“First of all, we don’t have time to litigate all of this,” Phillips, quickly wrapping up the segment, said.
“Of course we don’t,” Michaels shot back, “because then you’ll lose the argument.”
In an X post after her CNN appearance, Michaels attempted to explain her frustration with the Cuba exhibit. "Like the rest of the exhibit," she wrote, "this framing reduces a complex history to a narrative in which the United States alone destabilized the developing world."
Michael's post on X has 1.3 million views. The CNN show she appeared on averages 350,000 daily viewers during the month of July.
