Smithsonian to restore Trump impeachment mentions after backlash

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History announced Saturday that it will restore references to President Trump's two impeachments to its presidential exhibit "in the coming weeks," following intense public backlash over their quiet removal in July.abcnews.go+1

The museum had removed a placard mentioning Trump's 2019 and 2021 impeachments from "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" exhibition, reverting the display to its 2008 format that mentions only three presidents facing removal: Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton.spokesman+1

Denying Political Pressure

The Smithsonian firmly denied that the White House pressured the institution to remove the content. "We were not asked by any Administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit," the museum stated Saturday.abcnews.go

The institution explained the placard's removal by citing aesthetic and presentation standards. "The placard, which was meant to be a temporary addition to a twenty-five year-old exhibition, did not meet the museum's standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation," according to the statement. The museum added that the placard "blocked the view of the objects inside its case."scrippsnews+1

Timeline and Context

The Trump impeachment references were originally added to the exhibit in September 2021 as what the Smithsonian called "a short-term measure to address current events at the time," but remained in place until July 2025. Trump is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice—first in 2019 for pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden, and again in 2021 for "incitement of insurrection" related to the January 6 Capitol riot.abcnews.go+2

The removal occurred amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and cultural institutions. In March, Trump signed an executive order targeting Smithsonian programs with what he described as "divisive narratives" and placing Vice President JD Vance in charge of reshaping the institution. The administration also attempted to remove National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet in May, who subsequently resigned.scrippsnews+2

Critics accused the museum of "whitewashing history," while the White House praised efforts to "highlight American greatness" and remove what spokesperson Davis Ingle called "divisive, DEI exhibits which are out of touch with mainstream America".foxnews+1