After a placard referencing the 2019 and 2021 impeachments of President Donald Trump was reportedly removed from an exhibit at the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian Institution says the exhibit "will be updated in the coming weeks to reflect all impeachment proceedings in our nation's history."
"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," the Smithsonian said in a statement. "It was not consistent with other sections in the exhibit and moreover blocked the view of the objects inside its case. For these reasons, we removed the placard."
"We were not asked by any Administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit," the Smithsonian added.
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The announcement comes after The Washington Post reported last week that the exhibit had been on display at the museum since 2021, and mentioned Trump's impeachments alongside those of former Presidents Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson, as well as Richard Nixon, who resigned from office before facing impeachment. But when the references to Trump's impeachments were removed, a Smithsonian spokesperson said it was because the display had been changed to an earlier version that predated President Trump's first term in office, The Post reported.
The back and forth also comes just months after President Trump signed an executive order targeting federal funding for Smithsonian programs with what he described as "divisive narratives" and "improper ideology." The order put Vice President JD Vance in charge of reshaping the Smithsonian, including its museums, education and research facilities, and the National Zoo.
President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2019 amid accusations he had pressured Ukraine to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, and his son Hunter. However, following a vote that was mostly along party lines, he was ultimately acquitted by the Senate and remained in office.
Then in 2021, Trump was impeached again on charges related to his role in the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol — including his false claims of election fraud. But despite a handful voting to convict him, Trump was again acquitted by the Senate.
