US President Donald Trump has criticized the Smithsonian Institution, prompting a re-examination of the science of genetics and its understanding of race. The field of genetics has made significant contributions to the study of human variation and the concept of race. Genetic research has shed light on the complexities of human diversity, revealing that the traditional notion of distinct racial categories is not supported by scientific evidence. Instead, genetics has shown that human populations exhibit a high degree of genetic similarity, with the majority of genetic variation occurring within populations rather than between them. This understanding has been shaped by numerous studies and advances in genetic technology, which have enabled scientists to analyze human genetic data with increasing precision.