The Smithsonian Institution is now displaying an updated image of President Donald Trump. The new image is a black-and-white photo by White House photographer Daniel Torok, while the former image showed Trump against a black background.
“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,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital. “His unmatched aura will be seen and felt throughout the halls of the National Portrait Gallery.”
While a new placard next to the image lists President Trump’s years in office, the previous text 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.”
A spokesman for the Smithsonian said in a statement to NPR that the National Portrait Gallery will be updated with new labels and text. “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 spokesperson explained.
In August, the Smithsonian was reviewed by the Trump administration to ensure that its exhibits were in line with President Trump’s order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”
“This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,” White House Senior Associate Staff Secretary Lindsey Halligan and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought wrote to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch, Domestic Policy Council’s Vince Haley, noting that the review will be a “constructive and collaborative effort” founded upon a “respect for the Smithsonian’s vital mission and its extraordinary contributions.”
