The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has quietly removed wall text mentioning President Trump’s two impeachments after putting a new portrait of him on display in its “America’s Presidents” exhibition.
The original label pointed to several of Trump’s political accomplishments, including his appointment of three Supreme Court justices and what it called a “historic comeback in the 2024 election” after his loss to Joe Biden four years earlier. It also noted that Trump had been impeached twice, for abuse of power and for inciting an insurrection after the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The text added that he was acquitted by the Senate both times.
That reference to the impeachments had reportedly been a sore spot for the Trump administration for years. After Trump announced last year that he was firing Kim Sajet, then the gallery’s director, the White House drew up a list of complaints accusing her of political bias. Included in that list, which was shared with The New York Times, was the impeachment language that has now been removed.
The new portrait is a black-and-white photograph by White House photographer Daniel Torok. It shows Trump seated in the Oval Office, staring directly into the camera with his fists resting on the desk. When Trump posted the image on social media in October, he wrote, “In the Oval Office, getting ready to leave our imprint on the World. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
In a statement released on Saturday, White House spokesman Davis Ingle called the image “iconic,” saying the president’s presence would be felt throughout the gallery.
The National Portrait Gallery said the photo was installed on Thursday as part of a planned update to the exhibition. The museum said it has been experimenting with shorter, more concise wall labels that sometimes stick to basic identifying information. It added that the subject of presidential impeachments is still covered elsewhere in Smithsonian museums.
The updated label now identifies Trump simply as the 45th and 47th president of the United States and notes that he was born in 1946. The wall text accompanying President Bill Clinton’s portrait, however, explicitly mentions that he was impeached for lying under oath about his sexual relationship with a White House intern.
The changes come as the Trump administration applies broader pressure on the Smithsonian to present a more favorable version of American history. In March, Trump signed an executive order directing officials to review Smithsonian exhibitions for what the White House described as “improper ideology.” The institution, which has long operated independently of the executive branch, now faces an ultimatum to turn over internal materials or risk cuts to its largely federal budget.
Sajet ultimately resigned, saying the move was in the best interests of the National Portrait Gallery. Elliot Gruber is now serving as acting director. Similar edits to impeachment-related language were made last year at the National Museum of American History, which said at the time that it remained committed to accurate, fact-based scholarship.
