The Smithsonian Institution will update an exhibit to include all impeachments of US Presidents following criticism.
The parent organization of a highly visited history museum in the United States denies any political pressure played a role in the removal of a display about the impeachments of US President Donald Trump.
The Smithsonian Institution, which operates the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, stated that they removed the “temporary” placard for not meeting the museum’s standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation.
“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,” the institution said in a statement.
“We were not asked by any Administration or other government officials to remove content from the exhibit.”
The Smithsonian Institution, responsible for 21 museums and the National Zoo, said the impeachment section of the museum will be updated in the coming weeks to display all impeachment proceedings in the United States’ history.
The statement follows The Washington Post’s Thursday report that the museum removed an explicit reference to Trump’s impeachments last month, resulting in its exhibit about impeachment incorrectly stating that only three presidents have faced serious removal.
The Post, citing an unnamed person familiar with the exhibit plans, stated the display was taken down following a content review that the Smithsonian agreed to undertake after pressure from the White House to remove an art museum director.
The museum’s removal of the display triggered backlash, with critics of Trump arguing that it reflects the latest surrender to an authoritarian president’s demands.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday, “You can run, but you cannot hide from the judgment of history.”
“So, here’s my message to the president: no matter what exhibits you try to distort, the American people will never forget that you were impeached – not once, but twice.”
Trump has rapidly sought to increase his control over political, cultural, and media institutions as part of his “Make America Great Again” platform.
In March, the US president signed an executive order to remove “improper ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution’s properties and to withhold funding for exhibits that “degrade shared American values” or “divide Americans based on race.”
During his first term, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives twice, in 2019 and 2021, but he was acquitted by the Senate on both occasions.
He is the third US President to be impeached, following Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, and the only US President to be impeached twice.
Former President Richard Nixon faced near-certain impeachment before his resignation in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal.
The Smithsonian Institution, which operates the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, stated that they removed the “temporary” placard for not meeting the museum’s standards in appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation.
“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,” the institution said in a statement.
“We were not asked by any Administration or other government officials to remove content from the exhibit.”
The Smithsonian Institution, responsible for 21 museums and the National Zoo, said the impeachment section of the museum will be updated in the coming weeks to display all impeachment proceedings in the United States’ history.
The statement follows The Washington Post’s Thursday report that the museum removed an explicit reference to Trump’s impeachments last month, resulting in its exhibit about impeachment incorrectly stating that only three presidents have faced serious removal.
The Post, citing an unnamed person familiar with the exhibit plans, stated the display was taken down following a content review that the Smithsonian agreed to undertake after pressure from the White House to remove an art museum director.
The museum’s removal of the display triggered backlash, with critics of Trump arguing that it reflects the latest surrender to an authoritarian president’s demands.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday, “You can run, but you cannot hide from the judgment of history.”
“So, here’s my message to the president: no matter what exhibits you try to distort, the American people will never forget that you were impeached – not once, but twice.”
Trump has rapidly sought to increase his control over political, cultural, and media institutions as part of his “Make America Great Again” platform.
In March, the US president signed an executive order to remove “improper ideology” from the Smithsonian Institution’s properties and to withhold funding for exhibits that “degrade shared American values” or “divide Americans based on race.”
During his first term, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives twice, in 2019 and 2021, but he was acquitted by the Senate on both occasions.
He is the third US President to be impeached, following Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, and the only US President to be impeached twice.
Former President Richard Nixon faced near-certain impeachment before his resignation in 1974 due to the Watergate scandal.
