Claim:
The Smithsonian, under political pressure, removed references to President Donald Trump’s two impeachments from its exhibit to hide his name.
Verdict: FALSE
The media reports are false and misleading. The Smithsonian has repeatedly stated that the removal was temporary and part of a broader content review and NOT done under pressure from the White House.
This is supported by their official statements and subsequent commitment to reinstate the references.
Background:
Many media outlets and commentators have led with false headlines and misleading commentary suggesting this was done under pressure by the White House in an attempt to rewrite history, or hide the blatant abuse of power by the Democrat party.
In July 2025, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removed a temporary label referencing President Donald Trump’s two impeachments (2019 and 2021) from its “Limits of Presidential Power” section within “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden” exhibit.
The label, installed in September 2021, was removed as part of a review of “legacy content,” with the exhibit reverting to its 2008 version, which notes that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal” (referring to Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Richard Nixon, who resigned before impeachment).
This change sparked controversy, with some accusing the Smithsonian of bowing to political pressure from the Trump administration to erase his historical record, while the Smithsonian insists the move was temporary and aimed at updating the exhibit comprehensively.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/07/31/trump-impeachment-smithsonian/
Fact-Checking the Claim:
1. Smithsonian’s Stated Reason for Removal:
The Smithsonian Institution has consistently stated that the removal of the Trump impeachment references was part of a review of outdated “legacy content.” The “Limits of Presidential Power” section had not been updated since 2008, except for the temporary label added in 2021 to address Trump’s impeachments. The museum decided to revert the exhibit to its 2008 appearance because other topics in the section (Congress, the Supreme Court, and public opinion) were also outdated.[](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/us/politics/smithsonian-trump-impeachments-exhibit.html)[](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/07/31/trump-impeachment-smithsonian/)[](https://www.newsweek.com/smithsonian-museum-issues-update-trump-impeachment-exhibit-controversy-2108096)
A Smithsonian spokesperson emphasized that the removal was temporary and that “a future and updated exhibit will include all impeachments,” including Trump’s. The institution noted that updating a large permanent gallery like “The American Presidency” requires significant time and funding.[](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/us/politics/smithsonian-trump-impeachments-exhibit.html)[](https://www.newsweek.com/smithsonian-museum-issues-update-trump-impeachment-exhibit-controversy-2108096)[](https://www.npr.org/2025/08/01/g-s1-80602/smithsonian-impeachment-trump)
On August 3, 2025, the Smithsonian issued a statement clarifying that it “never intended [Trump’s removal] to be [permanent]” and that the exhibit would be updated “in the coming weeks to reflect all impeachment proceedings in our nation’s history.”[](https://www.newsweek.com/smithsonian-museum-issues-update-trump-impeachment-exhibit-controversy-2108096)[](https://apnews.com/article/smithsonian-trump-history-impeachment-b2b60d952d92df1a4a5233e0d60ecaa6)
Background – Restoring Truth to American History
In March 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which criticized the Smithsonian for promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology” and called for the removal of “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” from its exhibits.
The order tasked Vice President J.D. Vance and others with ensuring Smithsonian content aligns with “shared American values.”
The director of the National Portrait Gallery, Kim Sajet, resigned in June 2025 after being accused of partisanship and supporting illegal and unfair diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, stated that the Smithsonian had “highlighted divisive DEI exhibits which are out of touch with mainstream America” and expressed support for updating displays to “highlight American greatness,” though they did not directly address the impeachment exhibit’s changes.
Some critics, including Democratic lawmakers like Sen. Chris Coons and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, falsely accused the Trump administration of attempting to “whitewash history” or censor inconvenient facts about Trump’s presidency.
However, the Smithsonian explicitly denied being directed by any administration to remove the impeachment content, stating the decision was part of an internal review. The timing and context suggest external pressure may have influenced the review, but there is no direct evidence that the Trump administration explicitly ordered the removal of Trump’s impeachment references.
Media Coverage and Spin
Many biased media outlets and commentators, particularly those critical of Trump, falsely framed the removal as an attempt to “rewrite history” or “erase” Trump’s impeachments, often tying it to the broader narrative of Trump’s influence over cultural institutions.
For example, MSNBC misled readers by called the move “jaw-dropping” and suggested it was a response to presidential pressure.
- https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/-jaw-dropping-smithsonian-tries-to-rewrite-history-by-removing-trump-from-impeachment-exhibit-244187205628
- https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/smithsonian-removes-trump-references-exhibit-presidential-impeachments-rcna222436
Politically biased posts on X echoed this sentiment falsely claiming the Smithsonian was engaging in “revisionism” or a “direct assault on truth.
Conversely, the Smithsonian’s explanation—that the removal was temporary and due to the need for a comprehensive update—received less emphasis in some reports, which focused on the political implications.
Outlets like Fox News highlighted the White House’s criticism of “divisive DEI exhibits” and framed the controversy as a response to liberal backlash.
- https://www.foxnews.com/media/smithsonian-temporarily-removes-trump-impeachment-references-from-history-museum-drawing-liberal-ire
The Washington Post, which broke the story, noted both the Smithsonian’s rationale and the context of White House pressure, providing yet another biased account of the event.
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/07/31/trump-impeachment-smithsonian/
Some media coverage and social media posts have falsely amplified the narrative that the Smithsonian’s actions were politically motivated to hide Trump’s impeachments, which may exaggerate the situation.
The Smithsonian’s stated intent to restore and expand the exhibit to include all impeachments undercuts claims of deliberate censorship. The media is still misleading their audience.
- https://www.newsweek.com/smithsonian-museum-issues-update-trump-impeachment-exhibit-controversy-2108096)
Historical Accuracy of the Exhibit
The temporary label removed in July 2025 explicitly mentioned Trump’s two impeachments: the first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress (related to a Ukraine phone call) and the second in 2021 for incitement of insurrection (related to the January 6 Capitol attack). It also noted his acquittals by the Senate.
The current exhibit, reverted to its 2008 version, references only the impeachments of Andrew Johnson (1868) and Bill Clinton (1998), and Richard Nixon’s resignation before impeachment (1974). It inaccurately states that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal,” omitting Trump, who is the only U.S. president to be impeached twice.(
The Smithsonian’s online companion for the exhibit still mentions Trump’s impeachments as of August 2025, suggesting the physical exhibit’s omission is not reflective of the institution’s broader historical record.
Conclusion
The Smithsonian’s removal of Trump’s impeachment references was part of a review of outdated content, with the stated intent to create a more comprehensive exhibit that will include all impeachments, including Trump’s.
The museum denies direct pressure from the Trump administration. But biased media sources, due to political affiliations are still misleading their audience by falsely bringing up claims of political influence. Some media outlets and commentators have overstated the censorship narrative, while others have underplayed the Smithsonian’s explanation.
