Smithsonian Pulls Trump’s 2 Impeachments from Presidential History Exhibit/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Smithsonian Institution removed a label referencing Donald Trump’s two impeachments from a presidential history exhibit, citing outdated content. Officials say the removal is temporary and part of a broader update. The move comes amid Trump administration efforts to reshape historical narratives in national institutions.
Smithsonian Edits Presidential Exhibit – Quick Looks
- Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment reference from museum display.
- Exhibit originally added Trump impeachment content in 2021.
- Museum says change reflects an update to 2008-era content.
- Future version will include “all presidential impeachments.”
- Move follows Trump’s criticism of “divisive” historical exhibits.
- Trump has issued orders to reshape cultural institutions’ messaging.
- Critics argue this is part of a political revision of U.S. history.
- Trump’s impeachments involved Ukraine scandal and January 6 insurrection.
- Smithsonian faces increasing scrutiny over historical representation.
- Artist Amy Sherald canceled a separate exhibit amid political pressure.
Smithsonian Pulls Trump’s 2 Impeachments from Presidential History Exhibit
Deep Look
In a move drawing both political and cultural scrutiny, the Smithsonian Institution has removed a reference to Donald Trump’s two impeachments from a key display at the National Museum of American History. The decision, Smithsonian officials insist, is temporary and stems from an ongoing review to modernize outdated content. Still, the change comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to reshape how American history is portrayed in public institutions.
The removed label was part of the “Limits of Presidential Power” section within the museum’s “American Presidency” gallery. Originally installed in 2021, the label detailed Trump’s unique status as the only U.S. president to be impeached twice—once in 2019 over his attempt to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into investigating Joe Biden, and again in 2021 for inciting the January 6 Capitol riot.
A spokesperson for the Smithsonian, Phillip Zimmerman, explained in a statement that the museum is undertaking a broad content overhaul. He noted that the Trump impeachment label was added as a temporary fix during “a period of intense public interest” and that the rest of the exhibit hadn’t been significantly updated since 2008.
“A large permanent gallery like The American Presidency, which opened in 2000, requires a significant amount of time and funding to update and renew,” Zimmerman said. He confirmed that a future version of the exhibit will include all presidential impeachments, not just Trump’s.
White House Influence Raises Eyebrows
The label’s removal follows renewed pressure from the Trump administration, which has been openly critical of what it calls “divisive” or “race-centered” exhibits. A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, defended the Smithsonian’s recent decisions, stating that cultural institutions have spent too long “highlighting DEI exhibits out of touch with mainstream America.”
“We are fully supportive of updating displays to highlight American greatness,” Ingle said, though he did not directly address the missing Trump impeachment reference.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has aggressively reshaped the leadership and direction of Washington’s premier cultural institutions. He’s implemented funding cuts, removed agency leaders, and imposed new guidelines aimed at “restoring patriotic education.” His administration has targeted the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Executive Order Targets “Divisive” Historical Content
In March, Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The order specifically criticized the Smithsonian, alleging it was promoting a “divisive, race-centered ideology.” It tasked Vice President J.D. Vance with overseeing compliance, particularly ensuring no federal funds go toward exhibits that “divide Americans based on race” or promote “ideologies inconsistent with federal law.”
Critics—including historians and Democratic lawmakers—have called the order an attempt to whitewash America’s past. In April, Congressional Democrats issued a joint statement denouncing the order as “a flagrant attempt to erase Black history.”
Broader Pattern of Cultural Clashes
The Smithsonian controversy is part of a larger cultural battle playing out under Trump’s administration. Last week, artist Amy Sherald canceled an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery after officials raised objections to her painting “Trans Forming Liberty, 2024.” The work depicted a nonbinary transgender figure as the Statue of Liberty and was deemed potentially “inappropriate for federal display.” Sherald, known for her acclaimed portrait of Michelle Obama, withdrew from the exhibit in protest.
Founded in the 19th century, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex, encompassing institutions like the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Zoo, and the Smithsonian Gardens. Its mission has long been to document America’s diverse and evolving identity—a role now complicated by political interference.
The Washington Post first reported the Trump impeachment label’s removal, prompting new questions about how historical narratives will be curated under political influence.
While Smithsonian officials insist the Trump impeachment content will return in future updates, critics argue that its removal—however temporary—reflects a larger pattern of suppressing politically uncomfortable truths.
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