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.Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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The News Roundup For August 15, 2025
President Donald Trump put the police force in Washington D.C. under federal control. He also called in the National Guard and ICE to patrol the streets. The Justice Department says last year violent crime in the District of Columbia hit a 30-year low.Cuts to the social safety net are set to leave some 2.4 million Americans without access to the food stamps they were entitled to before the passage of the spending bill earlier this year.And, in global news, Israel killed four journalists working for Al Jazeera in a targeted strike on the tent in which they were staying in Gaza. Also this week, Israeli soldiers shot 25 people seeking aid in Gaza as Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu claims he’ll “allow” Palestinians to leave during an upcoming offensive in the Strip.A sit down takes place this week between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will not exchange land for peace.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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What Trump’s DC Takeover Means For The Capital And Beyond
President Donald Trump has taken over Washington D.C.’s police force and deployed the National Guard in the capital.The president took over the city’s police department for 30 days, and says he wants Congress to grant him “long-term” control of the force.All this in the name of public safety, despite the fact that D.C.'s violent crime rate is at a 30-year low.He says he might do the same in places like Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore.We get into what it all means for our nation’s capital and beyond.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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The Push To Exclude Noncitizens From The 2030 Census
The U.S. undertakes the census every 10 years. Hundreds of thousands of Census workers set out to count everyone living in the U.S., regardless of their citizenship status.That data is used to reallocate seats in the House of Representatives, redraw voting districts on the local level, and decide how federal funds should be allocated in each state.The next one is 5 years away, and President Donald Trump wants to make big changes to the 2030 count – by excluding noncitizens. Why does it matter who’s counted in the Census? How would making changes to it influence the life of every person living in the U.S.?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
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ICYMI: A Conversation With Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell
Commander and Astronaut James A. Lovell, Jr. – died Thursday at the age of 97. He was one of the three-man Apollo 13 spacecraft crew that set for the moon in April 1970. In 1970, the Apollo 13 spacecraft launched from the Kennedy Space Center. It captured the world's attention as America's third attempt to get to the moon. But after only two days, an explosion crippled the spacecraft and changed its mission: Get home safely.The three astronauts onboard, and dozens of flight controllers on Earth, labored for days to solve one challenge after another.Captain Jim Lovell commanded that mission—after a series of historical firsts with his flights on Gemini 7, Gemini 12, and Apollo 8.In 2020, 1A's Todd Zwillich spoke to the captain about that historic flight on its 50th anniversary. We revisit the conversation. Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Listening to the news can feel like a journey. But 1A guides you beyond the headlines – and cuts through the noise. Let's get to the heart of the story, together – on 1A.Support NPR and get your news sponsor-free with 1A+. Learn more at plus.npr.org/the1a
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