Trump 'inserting his vision of history' in Smithsonian as admin reviews exhibits

Historical Narrative & Political Influence - The Trump administration is planning a review of the Smithsonian to align exhibitions with a directive to celebrate American exceptionalism and remove divisive narratives [1] - Concerns arise about potential political interference in historical conversations and the imposition of a specific vision of history [3][4] - Exhibits on civil rights and race relations are particularly vulnerable to being removed or skewed [5] - The administration's actions, including website takedowns and language scrubbing, indicate a move towards controlling narratives [7][8] Institutional Independence & Expertise - The administration is putting pressure on institutions like the Smithsonian and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which provide independent expertise [8] - This pressure is seen as a mechanism of control, aiming to shape the narrative of past and present events [8] - These institutions provide a common base to evaluate politicians, and undermining them is a systematic effort [9]