The Government Is Now Deciding What History Museums Can Display

Harriet Tubman's hymn book is gone. Trump's impeachments are erased. And we're only seven months in.

Earlier this month, the Smithsonian just removed any mention of Trump's impeachments from its presidential history exhibit. Those two impeachments that happened? The ones we all lived through just a few years ago? Gone from the museum display.

They claim it's temporary. Something about formatting. Sure.

This is happening because the Trump administration is conducting what they call a “comprehensive internal review” of Smithsonian museums to make sure exhibits “celebrate American exceptionalism” and remove “divisive or partisan narratives.” Those are their actual words. They put them in a letter.

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I keep thinking about that impeachment display getting yanked. Not some controversial interpretation of the Civil War or debate about the founding fathers. Just... facts. Recent facts. Trump was impeached twice. First president that ever happened to. And now visitors to the National Museum of American History won't see that information because someone decided acknowledging it doesn't count as celebrating American exceptionalism.