The Smithsonian Institution, the organisation overseeing the National Museum of American History, has denied that political influence played a role in the removal of a display referencing the impeachments of US President Donald Trump.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the institution said the placard was taken down solely for failing to meet curatorial standards related to “appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation.” It also stressed that the label obstructed the view of artefacts in its display case.
“It was not consistent with other sections in the exhibit and moreover blocked the view of the objects inside its case,” the statement said. “We were not asked by any Administration or other government officials to remove content from the exhibit.”
The decision to remove the placard, which had noted Trump’s two impeachments, comes amid heightened scrutiny of cultural and political institutions under Trump’s second term in office. Earlier reporting by The Washington Postsuggested the removal followed a “content review” allegedly prompted by White House pressure related to a separate controversy involving an art museum director.
The museum’s impeachment exhibit now inaccurately suggests that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal,” omitting Trump’s historic dual impeachments in 2019 and 2021.
Critics responded with swift condemnation. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer remarked on Friday, “You can run, but you cannot hide from the judgment of history. No matter what exhibits you try to distort, the American people will never forget that you were impeached – not once, but twice.”
The Smithsonian has pledged to revise the impeachment section of the exhibit in the coming weeks, saying it will be updated to “reflect all impeachment proceedings in our nation’s history.”
During his first term, Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives—first over the Ukraine scandal in 2019, and again in 2021 for inciting the January 6 Capitol riot. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. He remains the only US president to be impeached twice.
In March, Trump signed an executive order targeting what he called “improper ideology” within federally funded cultural institutions, including the Smithsonian. The order called for the removal of exhibits that allegedly “degrade shared American values” or “divide Americans based on race.”
The Smithsonian, which oversees 21 museums and the National Zoo, now finds itself at the centre of a growing debate over historical truth, government pressure, and institutional independence.
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