History, as they say, is written by the winners. And since Donald Trump has won a second term, he’s made it his mission to reshape history in his image. It started with his pardons of the J6 criminals who were part of his failed 2021 insurrection. And it’s continued with moves like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth re-instituting the Fort Bragg name to the North Carolina base (but after a different Bragg, not the Confederate general, wink).
And now we have the Smithsonian removing Trump from its impeachment exhibit, even though he is the first — and only — President to have been removed from office twice. What’s insidious about this move is that the Trump administration didn’t order it — it was museum brass obeying in advance after Trump attacked the head of the Portrait Gallery. That’s the kind of weakness that autocrats count on as they’re trying to consolidate their power. Even though Smithsonian officials now say that Trump will be added back to the exhibit that currently only names Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon, we’ll have to see.
And regardless, significant damage has already been done.
"This is trying to control how we see Trump, how we see our own history,” says Lincoln Square Executive Editor Susan J. Demas. “… It's more than just one exhibit."
That brings us to the news that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is shutting down after Republicans voted to claw back over $1 billion from public broadcasting. It’s smaller communities that will feel the sting the most, because those stations will be more likely to shut down. And MAGA is hoping that will allow a flood of right-wing media to take its place, spreading propaganda under the guise of local news.
And don’t look now, but (some) Democrats are fighting back against Trumpian power plays, like Texas’ plans for yet another gerrymander. Democrats have fled the state in an attempt to block this blatant attempt by Republicans to hold onto to Congress during next year’s midterm elections, despite Trump’s tanking popularity.
"I always think of through lines for these [Substack] lives,” says Executive Producer Sam Osterhout. “... Every story that we've talked about today is a subversion of democracy on the ground and it's happening right now."
Trump's Numbers Are in Free Fall | Behind the Numbers with Rick & Andrew Wilson
Trump’s losing his grip, and the numbers are finally catching up to him. On this episode of Behind the Numbers, Rick and Andrew Wilson break down why young voters are bailing on Trump in record numbers.
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