U.S. museum says Trump administration did not compel impeachment display removal
The placard was meant to be temporary and "did not meet the museum's standards in appearance, location, timeline and overall presentation," the Smithsonian Institution said in a statement on X.
"It was not consistent with other sections in the exhibit and moreover blocked the view of the objects inside its case. For these reasons, we removed the placard.
"We were not asked by any administration or other government official to remove content from the exhibit."
The Smithsonian statement came after The Washington Post reported Thursday that the museum last month removed the placard describing Trump's impeachments and reverted to old signage that said "only three presidents have seriously faced removal" — Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.
The Post said the removal stemmed from a Smithsonian content review after the White House pressured the organization to remove a director of one of its art museums.
Trump is the only American president to have been impeached twice — first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, then in 2021 for inciting an insurrection. He was acquitted by the Senate both times.
Since starting his second term in January, the Republican has moved to control major cultural institutions while slashing arts and humanities funding.
In March, Trump signed an executive order to "restore the Smithsonian Institution to its rightful place as a symbol of inspiration and American greatness" and "remove improper ideology."
The order accused the institution of having "come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology" and argued the shift has promoted narratives that portray American values as "inherently harmful and oppressive."
The impeachment exhibit "will be updated in the coming weeks to reflect all impeachment proceedings in our nation's history," the Smithsonian said in its statement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
6 minutes ago
- Nikkei Asia
Hiroshima urges youth to work to end nukes on 80th A-bomb anniversary
HIROSHIMA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Hiroshima called Wednesday for young people to take on the challenge of ridding the world of nuclear weapons and urged nations to rise above self-interest to end conflicts, as the city marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing amid growing global instability. "Despite the current turmoil at the nation-state level, we, the people, must never give up," Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said in the Peace Declaration read during the annual memorial ceremony, which took place after Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year. "Our youth, the leaders of future generations, must recognize that misguided policies regarding military spending, national security, and nuclear weapons could bring utterly inhumane consequences," he said. "We urge them to step forward with this understanding and lead civil society toward consensus." A moment of silence was observed at 8:15 a.m., the exact time when the uranium bomb was dropped by the U.S. bomber Enola Gay and detonated over the city on Aug. 6, 1945, in the final stage of World War II, killing an estimated 140,000 people by the end of the year. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said it is Japan's mission as the only country to have experienced the horror of nuclear devastation in war to advance global efforts to realize a world free of nuclear weapons, especially amid increasing divisions over disarmament. With the 80-year milestone, a record 120 nations and regions attended the ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park, located near the hypocenter, according to the city of Hiroshima. Following a controversy last year over whether to invite countries involved in armed conflicts to Japan's atomic bomb commemorations, which are aimed at promoting peace, Hiroshima has shifted from sending invitations to simply notifying all countries and regions of its event. The ceremony followed the awarding of last year's Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, also known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, for its decades-long campaign against nuclear weapons using the testimony of survivors. But opportunities to hear directly from those who witnessed the atomic bombings are declining, with the combined number of officially recognized survivors of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki falling below 100,000 for the first time. Their average age exceeded 86. The momentum toward nuclear disarmament has diminished in recent years with growing global instability amid the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and President Donald Trump's pursuit of an "America First" foreign policy and transactional approach to diplomacy. In a dangerous escalation of Middle East tensions, the United States in June struck three sites in Iran with the stated aim of destroying its nuclear weapons infrastructure. Matsui said policymakers in some countries believe "nuclear weapons are essential for national defense" and that the developments "flagrantly disregard the lessons the international community should have learned from the tragedies of history." Criticizing security policies focused on "narrow self-interest" that foment international conflicts, he urged all world leaders to visit Hiroshima to witness the consequences of atomic bombs and called for nations strengthening their military forces to engage in dialogue aimed at abandoning reliance on nuclear weapons. Matsui also reiterated the city's call for Japan to sign the U.N. treaty outlawing nuclear weapons, saying doing so would comply with the wishes of the atomic bomb survivors, including Nihon Hidankyo. While advocating for a world without nuclear weapons, Japan has not joined the nuclear ban treaty as a complete prohibition would conflict with its policy of relying on U.S. nuclear deterrence. Ishiba said in his speech that the Japanese government will explore specific steps both nuclear and non-nuclear states can work together on, without touching on the treaty, which none of the nuclear powers are part of. Warning that the risk of nuclear conflict is growing, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres lamented in a statement that "the very weapons that brought such devastation to Hiroshima and Nagasaki are once again being treated as tools of coercion." But he noted that Nihon Hidankyo's Nobel Prize win was a sign of hope, saying in the statement read out by U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu that "countries must draw strength from the resilience of Hiroshima and from the wisdom" of the survivors. The United States and Russia together possess around 90 percent of all nuclear weapons, while China's arsenal has grown faster than any other country's with around 100 warheads added each year since 2023, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in its latest annual report. Three days after the first atomic bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," decimated Hiroshima in western Japan, a second one, dubbed "Fat Man," was dropped on Nagasaki in the southwest. Japan surrendered to the Allied forces six days later, marking the end of World War II.
Japan Today
2 hours ago
- Japan Today
Hiroshima marks 80th anniversary of atomic bombing
Visitors offer flowers at the Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph during the ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the bombing at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima on Wednesday. By Donican Lam Hiroshima called Wednesday for young people to take on the challenge of ridding the world of nuclear weapons and urged nations to rise above self-interest to end conflicts, as the city marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing amid growing global instability. "Despite the current turmoil at the nation-state level, we, the people, must never give up," Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said in the Peace Declaration read during the annual memorial ceremony, which took place after Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year. "Our youth, the leaders of future generations, must recognize that misguided policies regarding military spending, national security, and nuclear weapons could bring utterly inhumane consequences," he said. "We urge them to step forward with this understanding and lead civil society toward consensus." A moment of silence was observed at 8:15 a.m., the exact time when the uranium bomb was dropped by the U.S. bomber Enola Gay and detonated over the city on Aug 6, 1945, in the final stage of World War II, killing an estimated 140,000 people by the end of the year. With the 80-year milestone, a record 120 nations and regions attended the ceremony at the Peace Memorial Park, located near the hypocenter, according to the city of Hiroshima. Following a controversy last year over whether to invite countries involved in armed conflicts to Japan's atomic bomb commemorations, which are aimed at promoting peace, Hiroshima has shifted from sending invitations to simply notifying all countries and regions of its event. The ceremony followed the awarding of last year's Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, also known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, for its decades-long campaign against nuclear weapons using the testimony of survivors. But opportunities to hear directly from those who witnessed the atomic bombings are declining, with the combined number of officially recognized survivors of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki falling below 100,000 for the first time. Their average age exceeded 86. The momentum toward nuclear disarmament has diminished in recent years with growing global instability amid the war in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, and President Donald Trump's pursuit of an "America First" foreign policy and transactional approach to diplomacy. Noting accelerating military buildups around the world, Matsui said policymakers in some countries believe "nuclear weapons are essential for national defense." "These developments flagrantly disregard the lessons the international community should have learned from the tragedies of history," the mayor said. Criticizing security policies focused on "narrow self-interest" that foment international conflicts, he urged all world leaders to visit Hiroshima to witness the consequences of atomic bombs and called for nations strengthening their military forces to engage in dialogue aimed at abandoning reliance on nuclear weapons. Matsui also reiterated the city's call for Japan to sign the U.N. treaty outlawing nuclear weapons, saying doing so would comply with the wishes of the atomic bomb survivors, including Nihon Hidankyo. While advocating for a world without nuclear weapons, Japan has not joined the nuclear ban treaty as a complete prohibition would conflict with its policy of relying on U.S. nuclear deterrence. The United States and Russia together possess around 90 percent of all nuclear weapons, while China's arsenal has grown faster than any other country's with around 100 warheads added each year since 2023, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in its latest annual report. Three days after the first atomic bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," decimated Hiroshima in western Japan, a second one, dubbed "Fat Man," was dropped on Nagasaki in the southwest. Japan surrendered to the Allied forces six days later, marking the end of World War II. © KYODO
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Hiroshima marks 80th A-bomb anniv. amid growing global instability
HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) -- Hiroshima on Wednesday marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city, with the aging survivors' calls for nuclear weapons never to be used again growing more urgent amid global instability. At the first ceremony since Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui is expected to urge political leaders to end their reliance on nuclear deterrence, while calling on younger generations to take action to build a broad public consensus for the elimination of nuclear weapons. A moment of silence will be observed at 8:15 a.m., the exact time when the uranium bomb was dropped by the U.S. bomber Enola Gay and detonated over the city on Aug. 6, 1945, killing an estimated 140,000 people by the end of the year. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is also scheduled to speak at the ceremony. The ceremony is expected to be attended by representatives from a record 120 nations and regions, according to the city of Hiroshima. Hiroshima has decided to be more open to countries and regions seeking to attend the memorial ceremony, shifting from sending invitations to simply notifying all countries and regions of the event. The 80th anniversary comes after Nihon Hidankyo, also known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons through witness testimony. Still, the momentum toward eliminating nuclear weapons remains low, with the global security situation tense amid wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip and U.S. foreign policy increasingly uncertain under President Donald Trump, who is pursuing an "America First" agenda and taking a transactional approach to diplomacy. Russia and the United States together possess around 90 percent of all nuclear weapons, while China's arsenal has grown faster than any other country's with around 100 warheads added each year since 2023, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in its latest annual report. Three days after the world's first-ever nuclear attack decimated Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki in southwestern Japan. Japan surrendered to the Allied forces six days later, marking the end of World War II. The combined number of officially recognized survivors of the two atomic bombings, known as hibakusha, stood at 99,130 as of March, falling below 100,000 for the first time. Their average age exceeded 86.
