A leading Washington D.C. museum has removed references to Donald Trump's two impeachments and the January 6th Capitol attack from the caption accompanying his official portrait. The National Portrait Gallery, part of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution, replaced an older photograph of the former president with a new image and significantly altered the descriptive text.
Caption Controversy at the National Portrait Gallery
According to multiple reports, the gallery has taken down a placard that previously stated: "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 new caption is reportedly so brief that the outline of the old, larger sign remains visible on the wall beneath it.
The new portrait itself shows Trump standing in the Oval Office, scowling with his fists placed on the desk. It replaces a previous photograph where he appeared with a serious expression, hands clasped in front of him. That earlier caption also noted events from his first term, such as Supreme Court appointments and Covid-19 vaccine development.
A Pattern of Historical Revision
This incident is not isolated. It appears to be the latest move in a broader effort by the Trump administration to influence how federal institutions present recent history. In July, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History also removed mentions of the two impeachments from its displays.
Furthermore, in March, Trump signed an executive order aimed at prohibiting the Smithsonian from using funds for exhibits deemed to "degrade shared American values" or "divide Americans based on race." The former president has also publicly clashed with the gallery's leadership. In May, he claimed to have fired its director, Kim Sajet, labelling her a "highly partisan" supporter of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). The museum's board resisted this move, but Sajet later resigned.
Trump's Sensitivity to Portraiture
The former president has repeatedly demonstrated a keen interest in how he is depicted visually. Last year, he publicly criticised a painting of him in the Colorado state capitol, calling it "purposefully distorted" and "truly the worst"; it was replaced months later.
More recently, in September, he installed a "Presidential Walk of Fame" outside the White House, featuring portraits of every former commander-in-chief except his successor, Joe Biden. In Biden's place, Trump put a photo of an autopen signing Biden's name—a nod to his baseless claim that Biden is not actively making decisions.
A spokeswoman for the National Portrait Gallery, Concetta Duncan, told The Washington Post that the institution is "exploring" less descriptive "tombstone labels" for some new exhibits and noted that Trump's portrait in the popular exhibition has been changed before. The gallery did not respond to further requests for comment on the specific text removal.
