The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has announced plans to restore a placard that provided details about President Trump’s two impeachment proceedings, which was removed from the exhibition last month.
On Saturday, the museum released a statement indicating that this area will be updated in the coming weeks to include information on the various impeachment processes in U.S. history.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the exhibition decision, that the plaque’s removal was part of an internal review and occurred amid pressure from Trump’s administration. The museum confirmed this under some scrutiny regarding the content’s removal.
The Smithsonian noted that the placards, part of the exhibit titled “US Presidency: A Glorious Burden,” were deemed not to meet museum standards. They insisted that no requests were made by the administration to remove the information.
The statement from the museum explained that the placard was meant to be a temporary addition from 25 years ago but failed to align with the museum’s standards in terms of placement, timeline, and coherence with the rest of the exhibit, also obstructing views of some objects.
“Due to these factors, the placards were removed. We can confirm that there was no directive from the administration or other officials to alter the exhibit’s content,” the museum added.
The placard, which summarized Trump’s impeachment proceedings, had been part of the exhibit since September 2021 but was taken down last month.
A Smithsonian spokesperson remarked that it was initially supposed to be a short-term measure to respond to current events but ended up remaining until July 2025.
The spokesperson further mentioned that the exhibition includes discussions on Congress, the Supreme Court, the Merge Each, and Public Opinions. A decision was made to revert the Merge Each section to its 2008 format, as other topics in that area had not been updated since then.
Trump faced impeachment twice during his initial term, once relating to his requests for investigations into President Biden and his son Hunter. He was acquitted by the Senate in both instances.
The decision to remove the placards has drawn criticism from Democratic circles.
In March, Trump had signed an executive order to eliminate narratives that he felt contradicted the administration’s positions and that reminded Americans of “our extraordinary legacy.”
“As stewards of national history, it is our obligation to tell an accurate and comprehensive story,” the Smithsonian stated on Saturday, referencing the placard’s removal from the exhibit “The President of the United States: A Glorious Burden” in July.
“Each section of the exhibition aims to reflect all significant procedures in our nation’s history,” added the agency.
