Culture Smithsonian denies White House pressure over impeachment display

Smithsonian denies White House pressure over impeachment display

-

- Advertisment -
ADVERTISEMENT

The Smithsonian Institution is promising to bring back a display referencing US President Donald Trump‘s two impeachments – just in a new, “updated” form.

That announcement, posted to the Smithsonian’s official X account on Saturday, comes after a quiet removal of the Trump placard from the National Museum of American History triggered concern that political pressure may be reshaping the public record.

But according to the museum, there was no nudge from the White House to scrub Trump’s name.

“We were not asked by any Administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit,” the institution’s statement read.

Still, the timing raised eyebrows – particularly as Trump continues his campaign to “restore truth” to what he sees as “anti-American” cultural spaces, including the Smithsonian itself.

The removed placard had been part of a display called “Limits of Presidential Power”, which documents moments in US history where presidents have been challenged or checked – including the impeachments of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, and the Watergate scandal.

Trump, uniquely, is the only president to have been impeached twice.

In this image from video, the final vote total of 57-43 to acquit Trump of the impeachment charge, incitement of insurrection, in the Senate in 2021.
In this image from video, the final vote total of 57-43 to acquit Trump of the impeachment charge, incitement of insurrection, in the Senate in 2021. Senate Television via AP/Copyright 2021

His first impeachment, in 2019, centred on allegations he pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate political rival Joe Biden. The second, in 2021, followed the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, and accused Trump of “incitement of insurrection”.

In both cases, the House voted to impeach, and the Senate voted to acquit.

Protesters display "Impeach Trump" signs during a rally near Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, as part of the "Good Trouble Lives On" national day of action - 17 July 2025
Protesters display “Impeach Trump” signs during a rally near Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, as part of the “Good Trouble Lives On” national day of action – 17 July 2025 AP Photo

The Smithsonian says the Trump placard, added in 2021, had been a temporary measure. “The placard… did not meet the museum’s standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation,” the museum’s statement read. It reportedly blocked the view of some objects inside its case.

While the museum has now promised a new display “in the coming weeks” that will reflect “all impeachment proceedings in our nation’s history,” it hasn’t said exactly when or how the exhibit will change.

A spokesperson, Phillip Zimmerman, said earlier that a future version would include “all impeachments” – but specifics remain hazy.

Donald Trump - Sunday 3 August 2025
Donald Trump – Sunday 3 August 2025 AP Photo

All of this is playing out as Trump sharpens his focus on reshaping public institutions.

In March, he signed an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”, which explicitly targets the Smithsonian. The order puts Vice President JD Vance – who sits on the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents – in charge of scrubbing what Trump calls “improper ideology” from the institution.

Trump has said he wants to eliminate “divisive narratives” and protect the country’s “founding principles.” He claims there’s been a campaign to “rewrite” US history in a way that casts America in a negative light.

And while Trump is not on the board himself, he has taken aim at the institution before – most notably when he declared he’d fired Kim Sajet, then director of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. She continued to report to work, but later resigned on her own.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest news

Newly discovered document adds evidence that Shroud of Turin is fake

ADVERTISEMENT The Shroud of Turin is one of the most treasured ancient artefacts, attracting countless tourists to the Italian city - despite the fact that the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin only publicly displays it on special occasions. Also known as the Holy Shroud, the linen cloth bears the faint image of

Original Harry Potter director on reboot series: ‘What’s the point?’

ADVERTISEMENT Chris Columbus, the celebrated American director of both Home Alone films, Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films, has questioned the need to reboot the series with the upcoming HBO adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels. The filmmaker is currently promoting his Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club, which is based on the

Film of the Week: ‘Sorry, Baby’ – A masterful exploration of trauma

ADVERTISEMENT The scariest thing about life’s worst moments is the silence in which they often unfold. The world goes on, night falls, the windows of a suburban house glow as cars drive by. Yet for the person inside, existence has cracked; an irrevocable disconnect between who you once were, and the confused ghost you’ve become. 

From Taylor to Twin Peaks: The most iconic rings in pop culture

ADVERTISEMENT Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have set the internet ablaze with news of their engagement, and all eyes have been on the ring.  According to US reports, Kelce worked with New York designer Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry to design the ring and since the news of the engagement broke, the designer’s website has
- Advertisement -

165-million-year-old dinosaur with ‘weaponised tail’ found in Morocco

ADVERTISEMENT Scientists have unearthed the remains of a heavily armoured dinosaur, complete with rib spikes, a bony neck collar and a tail that may have doubled as a weapon. The fossil, discovered in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, dates back 165 million years and belongs to a newly identified species of ankylosaur called Spicomellus. And this wasn’t

Why is Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum warning it may have to close?

ADVERTISEMENT Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, has issued an extraordinary warning: without fresh government funding, it may be forced to shut its doors. The museum says a shortfall in state support threatens a €104m renovation plan - and with it the safety of the

Must read

Newly discovered document adds evidence that Shroud of Turin is fake

ADVERTISEMENT The Shroud of Turin is one of the most treasured ancient artefacts, attracting countless tourists to the Italian city - despite the fact that the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin only publicly displays it on special occasions. Also known as the Holy Shroud, the linen cloth bears the faint image of

Original Harry Potter director on reboot series: ‘What’s the point?’

ADVERTISEMENT Chris Columbus, the celebrated American director of both Home Alone films, Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films, has questioned the need to reboot the series with the upcoming HBO adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels. The filmmaker is currently promoting his Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club, which is based on the
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you