The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has replaced a photo of President Donald Trump and reportedly a caption that accompanied it — erasing mentions of Trump’s two impeachments and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
The new portrait, displayed in the gallery’s “America’s Presidents” exhibit, was posted on X by the White House on Saturday.
The Washington Post was the first to report the change. It reported that the museum “removed a swath of text that mentioned … Trump’s two impeachments and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.”
A spokesperson for the Smithsonian confirmed by email Sunday that the museum was displaying a new photograph taken by White House photographer Daniel Torok. It replaced a portrait of Trump that was taken by photographer Matt McClain.
The spokesperson did not provide details about a new caption, except to say, “For some new exhibitions and displays, the museum has been exploring quotes or tombstone labels, which provide only general information, such as the artist’s name.”
“The history of Presidential impeachments continues to be represented in our museums, including the National Museum of American History,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson also said that the museum previously had rotated two photographs of Trump and that the exhibit will “undergo a larger refresh” this spring.
The spokesperson did not answer inquiries about whether the caption change came at the request of the Trump administration.
The previous label on the gallery’s portrait remains available online. That caption includes information about Trump’s “record number of federal judges,” his work brokering agreements on the Middle East and his first administration’s promotion of the Covid-19 vaccine’s development. It notes Trump is the first president aside from Grover Cleveland to win a nonconsecutive second term.
“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 former caption read.
Davis Ingle, a White House spokesman, said, “For the first time in history, the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery has hung up an iconic photo taken by the White House honoring President Trump.”
“His unmatched aura will be seen and felt throughout the halls of the National Portrait Gallery,” Ingle said.
The Trump administration is seeking to reconfigure the Smithsonian to align with Trump’s vision. He signed an executive order last year ordering the removal of “improper ideology” ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary.
