Congressman Calls on Smithsonian to Document Trump’s “Narcissistic Self-Worship”
Democrat Jamie Raskin’s proposed bill asks the institution to preserve items related to Trump’s “propagandistic assault on American history.”
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland has introduced a bill aimed at prompting the Smithsonian to collect and permanently display artifacts related to the Trump administration's actions against the institution's museums and research centers. These actions were deemed as "extreme political activism" by the Trump administration.
The proposed bill, titled the "Preserving and Remembering the History of Trump and other Tyrants Act," directs Smithsonian officials to gather "artifacts reflecting the rise of governmental propaganda, corruption, and authoritarianism" from both Trump's presidential terms. The aim is to create a permanent display at the National Museum of American History (NMAH) that exhibits these artifacts.
Among the targeted items, the bill mentions artifacts and ephemera connected to Executive Order 14416. This order called for setting up content warning signs at the entrance of the NMAH and installing banners featuring a portrait of Trump on federal buildings and other locations. The bill also includes any other objects, communications, and testimonials that the Smithsonian deems historically relevant to this time period.
Raskin stated in a press release that to prevent repeating a descent into authoritarianism, it is crucial to study Trump's actions and allow the public to learn about the various tools he employed while attempting to reshape American history in his own image and according to his autocratic and white nationalist beliefs.
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