• Previous display mentioned two impeachments and January 6 Capitol attack
• Trump now only president in exhibition without extended biographical text
• Change comes amid administration pressure campaign targeting Smithsonian museums

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery removed all references to President Donald Trump’s two impeachments when it replaced his portrait photograph last week, eliminating historical details that had long troubled the White House.

The museum installed a new black-and-white portrait by White House photographer Daniel Torok showing Trump with his fists on the Resolute Desk. The accompanying text now includes only his birth year and notation that he is the 45th and 47th president, making Trump the sole chief executive in the America’s Presidents exhibition without an extended biographical description.

The previous portrait label, still available on the Smithsonian’s website, included details about Trump’s Supreme Court nominations and his administration’s development of COVID-19 vaccines. It concluded with the sentence: “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.”

White House Celebrates Portrait Change

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White House spokesperson Davis Ingle praised the new display in a statement, calling it “an iconic photo” and declaring that Trump’s “unmatched aura will be seen and felt throughout the halls of the National Portrait Gallery.”

The administration highlighted the portrait change across social media Saturday and Sunday. Trump himself posted the image to Truth Social last October with the caption: “In the Oval Office, getting ready to leave our imprint on the World. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Neither the White House nor the Smithsonian directly addressed whether the administration requested the text removal. A Smithsonian spokesperson told reporters the museum had begun a planned update of the America’s Presidents gallery, which will undergo larger renovations this spring.

Clinton Impeachment References Remain

The selective editing stands in stark contrast to the portrait display of former President Bill Clinton, whose accompanying text explicitly notes he was impeached for “lying while under oath about a sexual relationship he had with a White House intern.”

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Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives twice during his first term. The 2019 impeachment related to his request that Ukraine investigate the Biden family ahead of the 2020 presidential election. He was impeached again in 2021 for inciting the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol following his electoral loss. The Senate acquitted him in both trials.

The Smithsonian stated that “the history of Presidential impeachments continues to be represented in our museums, including the National Museum of American History.”

Pattern of Historical Revisions

The portrait change represents the latest alteration at Smithsonian museums under Trump administration pressure. In August, the National Museum of American History temporarily removed references to Trump’s impeachments from its exhibit “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden,” which had stated that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal.”

The museum initially called it a “short-term” change but faced immediate public outcry. Officials claimed they were restoring the display to its 2008 appearance before updating it comprehensively, though the revised version has not yet been installed.

Director Forced Out After Trump Complaints

In May, Trump announced he was firing National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet, whom he called “a highly partisan person” and “a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position.”

The Smithsonian’s governing board initially backed Sajet, noting the president lacks authority to fire employees of the institution, which operates as a public-private partnership rather than a federal agency. However, Sajet resigned two weeks later, stating she was “putting the museum first.”

“This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the right one,” Sajet said in her resignation statement. “From the very beginning, my guiding principle has been to put the museum first. Today, I believe that stepping aside is the best way to serve the institution I hold so deeply in my heart.”

Kevin Gover now serves as acting director of the National Portrait Gallery.

Executive Order Targets Museums

Trump signed an executive order in March titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” that directed officials to scrutinize Smithsonian museums for “improper ideology” and “divisive race-centered” content.

Over the summer, the White House ordered a comprehensive internal review of eight Smithsonian museums including the National Portrait Gallery. Officials set a January 13 deadline for museums to turn over materials including gallery labels, future exhibition plans and curatorial manuals.

“The American people will have no patience for any museum that is diffident about America’s founding or otherwise uncomfortable conveying a positive view of American history,” White House officials stated in their request.

Museums Face Increased Scrutiny

The Smithsonian has had to contend with increased administration pressure throughout Trump’s second term. He also fired the head archivist of the National Archives as part of his cultural institution overhaul.

At the White House, Trump has created what the Associated Press described as a “notably partisan and subjective Presidential Walk of Fame” featuring gilded photographs of himself and his predecessors—except President Joe Biden, who is represented by an autopen signature device. The plaques were primarily authored by Trump himself, according to the White House.

The National Portrait Gallery will close temporarily for renovations in April and reopen May 14, according to the Smithsonian website.

Should publicly funded museums revise historical displays about sitting presidents under political pressure?

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