President Donald Trump and his administration want control over exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution.

In a letter sent Aug. 12, three White House officials told the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Lonnie G. Bunch III, that the administration would conduct a review at certain Smithsonian museums. 

The goal? To “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”

In this installment of our politics series, “If You Can Keep It,” we talk about how the administration is injecting itself into the affairs  – and the exhibits – of the Smithsonian Institution and what that means for our understanding of our shared history.

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