This is The Guardian.

I'm Charlotte Higgins, the Guardian's chief culture writer,

and I'm the author of the article you're about to hear,

Trump's assault on the Smithsonian. The goal is to reframe the entire culture of the article you're about to hear, Trump's assault on the Smithsonian.

The goal is to reframe the entire culture of the US.

I began working on this story early 2025.

I was actually on holiday in Washington, D.C. for the very first time.

And I was visiting the great museums of Washington, D.C., which stand shoulder to shoulder with the great political institutions,

and really thinking about how these institutions were going to survive, or what was going to happen to them under the second Trump term.

And sure enough, soon after I left, things started to happen.

So I spent a lot of time talking to very frightened, anxious people

in this great museum who were worried about what the consequences of Trumpism would be,

not just on their institution, but on the way America thinks of its history,

its identity and what it means to be American.

If you would like and are able to support the continuation of this kind of reporting,

you can support the Guardian through the link in the show notes.

We're not owned by a billionaire,

and we do rely on the support of our readers and listeners like you.

Thanks so much, and I hope you enjoy the piece.

Welcome to The Guardian Long Read, showcasing the best long-form journalism covering culture, politics and new thinking.

For the text version of this and all our long reads, go to the Guardian.com forward slash long read.

Trump's assault on the Smithsonian.

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