At a Glance
- The National Portrait Gallery quietly removed the wall text about Donald Trump’s two impeachments from its “America’s Presidents” display.
- The label once detailed his Supreme Court picks, COVID vaccine effort, and twin Senate acquittals; it has vanished while a new White House photo now hangs alone.
- Labels for Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon still note their impeachments or resignation, leaving Trump as the only president without an explanatory placard.
- Why it matters: The edit signals the first visible result of Trump’s order for a Smithsonian-wide exhibit review to spotlight “American exceptionalism” and purge “divisive” content.
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has erased any mention of President Donald Trump’s historic double impeachment from the public wall text beside his newly installed photograph, the latest apparent concession to an administration determined to recast how U.S. history is presented in federal museums.
Impeachment Details Vanish
Until recently, visitors to the “America’s Presidents” gallery read a concise summary that credited Trump with three Supreme Court confirmations and his administration’s role in developing COVID-19 vaccines before stating:
> “Impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was acquitted by the Senate in both trials.”
That paragraph has disappeared. A different image-shot during Trump’s first term-now occupies the frame, and no accompanying label is on view. The museum still hosts the text on its website, but inside the gallery the 45th and 47th president stands alone, identified only by small medallions noting his sequential numbers.
Curators left intact the placards for other embattled leaders:
- Andrew Johnson – impeached 1868
- Bill Clinton – impeached 1998
- Richard Nixon – resigned 1974
Trump is the only commander-in-chief currently displayed without an extended biography.
New Oval Office Photo Replaces Old Portrait
The swapped photograph, taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok, shows Trump leaning over the Resolute Desk with a furrowed brow. White House spokesman Davis Ingle praised the switch, saying it ensures the president’s “unmatched aura … will be felt throughout the halls of the National Portrait Gallery.” Ingle did not say whether the White House requested deletion of the impeachment language.
A gallery statement described the change as routine rotation: “The museum is beginning its planned update of the America’s Presidents gallery which will undergo a larger refresh this Spring.” Officials added they are experimenting with “quotes or tombstone labels” that list only artist names and birth-death dates, though no decision has been announced on a final format.
Presidential Review Ordered Last Summer
The exhibit tweak follows an August directive from Trump instructing Smithsonian leadership to vet every display before the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4. A White House memo said the goal is to “ensure alignment with the president’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
The administration has already reshaped other cultural spaces:
- Fired the head archivist of the National Archives
- Moved to oust National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet, who later resigned despite governing-board support
- Installed a gilded “Presidential Walk of Fame” inside the White House
Trump personally helped craft the Walk’s plaques, which hail his own two terms as historically successful and label Joe Biden-represented by an autopen photograph- as “by far, the worst President in American History.”
Museum Response Leaves Questions
Smithsonian press officers did not clarify whether White House aides demanded the impeachment wording’s removal. The institution’s only public comment emphasized ongoing renovation plans and noted that “the history of Presidential impeachments continues to be represented in our museums, including the National Museum of American History.”
The muted explanation has done little to quell debate over political interference in scholarly interpretation. For now, visitors browsing the presidential timeline will find a conspicuous gap where the most recent impeachment drama once stood in black and white.
Key Takeaways
- Trump remains the first U.S. president impeached twice; the Senate acquitted him both times.
- References to those events have disappeared from his National Portrait Gallery display.
- Labels for Johnson, Clinton, and Nixon still highlight their impeachment or resignation.
- The White House-ordered exhibit review could herald broader changes across Smithsonian museums before the July 4 semiquincentennial celebration.
