Smithsonian Under Fire Over Trump Move

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History has removed an exhibit referencing President Donald Trump’s impeachments—prompting furious backlash from Democrats but signaling a major victory for those demanding fairness in taxpayer-funded institutions.

The decision was part of a larger internal review to clean up outdated and politically slanted exhibits. According to the museum, the “American Presidency: A Glorious Burden” gallery hadn’t been properly updated since 2008, despite years of partisan add-ons—like the rushed inclusion of Trump’s impeachments.

A Smithsonian spokesperson confirmed that the impeachment reference was originally added as a “temporary label” in 2021, but quietly stayed in place until July 2025—well beyond its intended lifespan. The updated version of the exhibit now removes the one-sided focus on Trump and returns to a historically consistent format that includes all impeachments in American history.

The move came after President Trump signed an executive order earlier this year requiring all federal cultural institutions—including the Smithsonian—to remove “divisive and misleading narratives” and refocus on honoring America’s founding principles and heritage.

Democrats wasted no time launching political attacks. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) posted online that “Trump can pretend it didn’t happen all he wants,” while Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) posted archived impeachment headlines, claiming the former president wants to “erase history.”

But what critics won’t say is that Trump was acquitted both times—once for encouraging Ukraine to investigate credible allegations involving Joe and Hunter Biden, and again for so-called “incitement” related to January 6, despite his public call for peaceful protest.

Left-wing voices like California Gov. Gavin Newsom also jumped into the fray, accusing Trump of “censoring the Smithsonian like it’s the Epstein List.” Critics blasted the bizarre analogy as an embarrassing overreach.

Meanwhile, Kim Sajet—the Obama-era head of the National Portrait Gallery—resigned in June after pressure from the Trump administration. She was long criticized for injecting race and gender politics into an institution meant to unify Americans around shared history.

For many Americans, the Smithsonian’s change marks a refreshing shift back to truth, balance, and patriotic values. With Trump back in the Oval Office, there’s growing momentum to restore integrity to the nation’s cultural and educational landmarks—something older Americans have demanded for years.