The National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC has removed a placard that referred to Donald Trump’s two impeachments and the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, according to multiple news reports. The museum, part of the Smithsonian Institution, replaced an earlier portrait of Mr Trump with a new image of him standing in the Oval Office with a scowl and his fists on the desk.
The former caption read: “Impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was acquitted by the Senate in both trials.” The National Portrait Gallery did not respond to a request for comment.
The removal is the latest example of the president trying to exert control over the Smithsonian. In May, Mr Trump said he had fired the gallery’s director, Kim Sajet, describing her as a “highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position”. The museum’s board of regents rejected the attempt, but Ms Sajet ultimately resigned. In July, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History removed references to the impeachments. Mr Trump also signed an executive order in March prohibiting the Smithsonian from spending money on exhibits that “degrade shared American values” or promote ideologies inconsistent with federal law.
Mr Trump has previously objected to portraits of himself. Last year he complained about a painting in the Colorado state capitol, calling it “purposefully distorted” and “truly the worst”; a new painting was hung months later. In September, he added a “Presidential Walk of Fame” to the White House exterior, featuring portraits of every former president except Joe Biden, whose place was taken by a photo of an autopen signing Mr Biden’s name.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the portrait’s new placard is so brief that the outline of the old sign remained visible on the wall. A gallery spokeswoman, Concetta Duncan, said the museum was “exploring” less descriptive “tombstone labels” for some exhibits, and noted that Mr Trump’s portrait had been changed before. The previous portrait showed Mr Trump with a serious expression and his hands in front of him, with a caption detailing events from his first term, including the appointment of three Supreme Court justices and the development of Covid-19 vaccines.
