The Smithsonian Institution has quietly removed references to President Donald Trump’s two impeachments from a prominent museum exhibit, following persistent pressure from the White House to revise content across the institution.
According to The Washington Post, the National Museum of American History this month eliminated a temporary label installed in 2021 from its American Presidency: A Glorious Burden exhibit. The label had referenced Trump’s impeachments—one in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and another in 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the Capitol riot.
In its place, curators reinstated an older label dating back to 2008, which states that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal,” referencing Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon. This outdated description omits Trump’s historic two impeachments—the most ever for a U.S. president.
A source familiar with the museum’s internal planning told The Post that the revision was part of a broader content review the Smithsonian agreed to undertake after Trump attempted to dismiss Kim Sajet, director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, earlier this year.
The effort was part of a wider campaign by Trump to reshape federally supported cultural institutions in Washington, D.C., including the Kennedy Center. A Smithsonian spokesperson acknowledged the label change, stating, “A future and updated exhibit will include all impeachments,” but did not provide a timeline.
The spokesperson explained the decision, noting, “In reviewing our legacy content recently, it became clear that the ‘Limits of Presidential Power’ section in The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden exhibition needed to be addressed.”
The statement added: “Because the other topics in this section had not been updated since 2008, the decision was made to restore the Impeachment case back to its 2008 appearance.” The museum had initially announced in January 2020 that it would document Trump’s first impeachment and Senate trial as “historic events.”
However, the current administration has taken a different approach. Since returning to office, Trump has issued multiple executive orders targeting institutions like the Smithsonian, accusing them of promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology.”
In January, the Smithsonian canceled its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to comply with an executive order from Trump. In March, another executive order explicitly targeted the Smithsonian, seeking to remove what the administration labeled “improper ideology.”
In May, Trump moved to fire Sajet, accusing her of being a “partisan person” for her support of DEI. While the attempt was blocked by Smithsonian leadership, Sajet resigned the following month. Reacting to the news, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler told CNN on Thursday, “Museums should show the good, the bad, the ugly” when it comes to American history.