Smithsonian temporarily excluded Trump impeachment reference from exhibit display
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History made a notable change in July 2025, removing references to President Donald Trump's two impeachments from an exhibit display. The decision, however, did not provide a specific reason for this removal.
Trump, the only president to have been impeached twice, was first impeached in 2019 for pushing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden. The second impeachment followed in 2021, citing "incitement of insurrection," in reference to the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters attempting to halt Congressional certification of Biden's victory.
Initially, the reference to Trump's impeachments was added in 2021. The large permanent gallery, The American Presidency, requires a significant amount of time and funding to update and renew. It is unclear whether the removal of the references was part of a broader overhaul of the exhibit or a standalone decision.
The Smithsonian Institution, which oversees a network of cultural centres including the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum for American History, the National Zoo, and the Smithsonian Gardens, has been under scrutiny for its exhibits. The White House has exerted pressure to offer a more positive and selective view of American history, alleging that the Smithsonian has been highlighting divisive exhibits that are out of touch with mainstream America.
In March 2021, Trump issued an executive order titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," claiming that the Smithsonian was beholden to a divisive, race-centered ideology. This order led to changes across a range of Washington cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Artist Amy Sherald, known for her painting "Trans Forming Liberty, 2024," cancelled a planned exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery due to concerns over her work. Congressional Democrats issued a statement in April, calling Trump's order a "flagrant attempt to erase Black history."
The exhibit section, called "Limits of Presidential Power," needed to be overhauled due to being outdated since 2008. Trump placed Vice President J.D. Vance in charge of ensuring no funding goes to exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy.
A future and updated exhibit will reportedly include all impeachments. The removal of the references to Trump's impeachments from the exhibit remains a topic of discussion and debate, with some viewing it as an attempt to rewrite history, while others see it as a necessary step to maintain a balanced and non-partisan perspective in historical exhibitions.
- Despite the removal of references to President Donald Trump's impeachments from an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in July 2025, Trump was the only president to have been impeached twice, with the first impeachment in 2019 and the second in 2021.
- The Smithsonian Institution, which manages exhibits such as the American Presidency, has been under scrutiny for potential pressure to offer a more selective view of American history, with Trump issuing an executive order in March 2021 titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History."
- The exhibit section, "Limits of Presidential Power," is scheduled for an update, and a future version will reportedly include all impeachments, bringing the Smithsonian's display current, given that the last update was in 2008.
- Artist Amy Sherald, from the general news, cancelled a planned exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery due to concerns over her work, an incident linked to the broader debate over the portrayal of American history and controversial exhibits.
- In Seattle, where car-accidents, fires, and crime-and-justice are common topics of local news, the city's policies and legislation have a significant impact on the community's lives, with the removal of references to Trump's impeachments from the Smithsonian exhibit being a point of discussion and controversy in the realm of politics.
