The New Republic

The Trump administration has a lot of things “visitors should know” before entering the National Museum of American History. According to reporting by The Atlantic, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is mobilizing the National Park Service to display at least a dozen signs around the National Museum of American History warning visitors of “ideologies that distract from a coherent and accurate presentation of America’s story” before they step foot on the premises. The signs are projected to cost at least $84,000. This is the Trump administration’s latest attack on the Smithsonian, a cultural institution that has stood witness to the American story for 180 years. It comes after the September 8 announcement that Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Smithsonian’s chief official and founder of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, will retire at the end of this year. Bunch has said that the repeated attacks from the Trump administration and pressure to eliminate exhibits representing “improper ideology,” such as anything to do with race, gender, or oppression, did not influence his decision. In June, Donald Trump signed an executive order giving his administration unprecedented control over the institution, which he claimed “views American history as a ‘prime tool’ to advance ideas of social justice and the radical transformation of our society.” The White House Domestic Policy Council elaborated on Trump’s claims in an Independence Day report on the status of the institution. “The Smithsonian Institution, and the National Museum of American History in particular, under its current leadership and current interpretive ideology, cannot be trusted to tell America’s story honestly and in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic,” the report said. When he announced the signs to Senators Jeff Merkley and Lisa Murkowski, Burgum said that the “informational signage therefore will provide visitors with important context about the exhibits they are about to encounter and the personal viewpoints that the curators of the exhibits are seeking to advance.” “We believe the public should enter the museum fully equipped with the information needed to evaluate whether to invest their time in viewing these exhibits and programming,” he wrote in a letter to the senators. It is not yet clear what exactly the “information needed” will be. The text of the signs or the plans for their physical structure is still undetermined, but Burgam’s letter suggests direct attacks on Smithsonian leaders, including Bunch and museum director Anthea Hartig. Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian are a textbook example of an administration using its power to manipulate how citizens encounter history and discredit institutions that challenge its preferred narrative—a stepping stone, of course, toward fascism.

House Democrats launched another Hail Mary bid to impeach President Donald Trump, but the effort was undercut by members of their own party. More than a dozen Democrats joined 213 Republicans in voting “no” Tuesday night. Another 46 Democrats simply voted “present,” including some of the lower chamber’s biggest names: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar. It was the third time in two years that the liberal party has tried to oust Trump from the Oval Office, but the proposal—introduced by Texas Representative Al Green—did not receive support from party leadership before Green forced the vote. One Democrat described the situation to Axios as “fucked up,” while others derided the effort as a distraction, with the spectre of midterms mere weeks away. “Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust,” Jeffries, Clark, and Aguilar wrote in a joint statement Monday. “The effort traditionally requires a comprehensive investigative process.” Green, who cited the various deaths caused by federal immigration agents as his rationale for impeachment, described the vote as a “life and death” matter. He initially filed the articles in August. Eighteen Democrats ultimately voted against impeaching Trump. They are: 1. Kathy Castor (Florida) 2. Emanuel Cleaver (Missouri) 3. James Clyburn (South Carolina) 4. Henry Cuellar (Texas) 5. Don Davis (North Carolina) 6. Shomari Figures (Alabama) 7. Laura Gillen (New York) 8. Jared Golden (Maine) 9. Adam Gray (California) 10. Rick Larsen (Washington) 11. Susie Lee (Nevada) 12. Kristen McDonald Rivet (Michigan) 13. Jared Moskowitz (Florida) 14. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington) 15. Josh Riley (New York) 16. Hillary Scholten (Michigan) 17. Darren Soto (Florida) 18. Tom Suozzi (New York)

Americans are shelling out significantly at the pump.

PETA has entered the chat.

Republicans are sending members of Congress home early to avoid a vote on the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.