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Smithsonian to Update Trump Impeachment Exhibit

3.08.2025 3,37 B 5 Mins Read
Smithsonian to Update Trump Impeachment Exhibit

In a recent statement, the White House clarified that it did not exert pressure on the Smithsonian Institution to eliminate references to President Donald Trump’s two impeachments from an ongoing exhibit. This revelation came to light on Saturday, as the Smithsonian announced plans to include Trump in a forthcoming update to the exhibit, set to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The decision to remove Trump from the list of impeached presidents raised concerns among historians and the public alike, suggesting that there may be efforts to whitewash historical events to placate the former president. The Smithsonian's communication emphasized that no administration or government official compelled them to discard any content related to Trump’s impeachments, asserting their independence in decision-making.

A museum spokesperson, Phillip Zimmerman, had previously made a commitment that the forthcoming exhibit would encompass all impeached presidents. However, the timeline for the installation of this updated exhibit remains unspecified. The recent statement from the museum did not provide specific details regarding when the changes would be implemented.

Initially, a placard referring to Trump’s impeachments was added in 2021 to the National Museum of American History’s exhibit on the American presidency. This particular section, named “Limits of Presidential Power,” also contained information on the impeachments of Presidents Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson, as well as the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

According to the Smithsonian’s explanations, the placard was intended as a temporary addition; however, it ultimately did not meet the museum's standards concerning appearance, location, timeline, and overall presentation. It was noted that the placard obstructed the view of items within its case and lacked consistency with other sections of the exhibit. Consequently, the museum decided to remove it.

Donald Trump stands as the only president in U.S. history to have been impeached twice. His first impeachment took place in December 2019, as a result of allegations that he pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate Joe Biden, his political rival in the subsequent 2020 presidential election. The second impeachment followed in January 2021, and pertained to charges of incitement of insurrection linked to the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. This insurrection aimed to disrupt the congressional certification of Biden's victory.

Both impeachments were driven by a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, while Trump's acquittal was secured by a Republican-led Senate on both occasions.

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