Smithsonian Quietly Deletes Trump’s Impeachments from Portrait Caption

Smithsonian Quietly Deletes Trump’s Impeachments from Portrait Caption

The National Portrait Gallery has replaced Donald Trump’s official caption with a stripped-down version that no longer mentions his two impeachments or the Capitol riot.

At a Glance

  • The National Portrait Gallery removed text about Trump’s impeachments from his portrait caption
  • New caption only lists his years in office
  • White House shared photos of updated display on January 10
  • Museum exploring less descriptive labels for some exhibits

The Smithsonian Institution quietly updated President Trump’s portrait display without the controversial details that previously accompanied it.

The Caption Change

The previous caption explicitly stated Trump was “impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.” The new version simply lists his term dates.

This creates a stark contrast with other presidential displays. Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all retain detailed placards describing events during their administrations.

smithsonian

Museum Response

Concetta Duncan, National Portrait Gallery spokeswoman, told News Of Los Angeles the museum is exploring less descriptive “tombstone labels” for some new exhibits. She confirmed Trump’s portrait has changed before.

Caption Detail Before After
Impeachments Included Removed
Jan 6 Mentioned Removed
Term Details Full description Years only

Key Takeaways

  • Smithsonian removed Trump’s impeachment details from display
  • New black-and-white portrait taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok
  • Museum exploring shorter labels for future exhibits
  • Change follows White House pressure on museum content review

The quietly updated display represents another shift in how Trump’s controversial presidency details are presented publicly.

Author

  • My name is Olivia M. Hartwell, and I cover the world of politics and government here in Los Angeles.

    Olivia M. Hartwell covers housing, development, and neighborhood change for News of Los Angeles, focusing on who benefits from growth and who gets pushed out. A UCLA graduate, she’s known for data-driven investigations that follow money, zoning, and accountability across LA communities.

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