AXIOS (Avery Lotz) - Raskin seeks to preserve Trump's D.C. "propaganda" in Smithsonian
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) introduced legislation Wednesday that would direct the Smithsonian to preserve and display artifacts he said reflect the rise of "governmental propaganda" under President Trump . Why it matters: The bill will almost certainly fail in a Republican-controlled Congress. But it could preview how Democrats would scrutinize the president's use of taxpayer dollars to promote his image if they regain control in November. - Trump's drive to remake D.C.'s physical and cultural landscape in his image can be seen in banners bearing his face on government buildings and attempts to rebrand institutions with his name . - The administration also unveiled a plan last month to post warnings accusing Smithsonian leaders of…
Who is the outgoing Secretary of the Smithsonian mentioned in the article?
Lonnie Bunch announced his retirement after serving for more than three decades as the head of the Smithsonian, which is described as the world's largest museum, education, and research complex.
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What actions has the Trump administration taken regarding the Smithsonian and the physical landscape of Washington D.C. according to the report?
The administration has attempted to remake D.C.'s physical and cultural landscape, which includes placing banners bearing Donald Trump's face on government buildings and attempting to rebrand institutions with his name. Furthermore, the administration unveiled a plan to post warning signs at the Smithsonian accusing its leaders of pushing "personal, radical ideologies." The Smithsonian has also been subject to a government-wide DEI purge targeting so-called "woke ideology."
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What is the stated purpose of Rep. Jamie Raskin's legislation regarding the Smithsonian and the Trump administration?
Rep. Jamie Raskin introduced the legislation to direct the Smithsonian to preserve and display artifacts that he characterizes as reflecting the rise of "governmental propaganda" under President Trump. Raskin stated that the legislation aims to "forever preserve his manifestations of authoritarian narcissism and his propagandistic assault on American history and American democracy," contrasting it with what he describes as the president's project of "censoring, whitewashing and fictionalizing American history."
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What specific artifacts and items does Rep. Jamie Raskin's proposed legislation direct the Smithsonian to collect and display?
The legislation directs the Secretary of the Smithsonian to collect and display Donald Trump's sprawling portraits that were hung outside of federal agencies. Additionally, it calls for the preservation of signage or "artifacts" related to the administration's plan to post warning signs accusing the Smithsonian of "Ideological Capture." The bill also proposes including narratives from Americans who "resisted and opposed the rise in authoritarianism" and includes signage stating that Donald Trump ordered the installation of these signs without Congressional authorization as required by the Constitution.
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