Todd Arrington, the director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, has reportedly left his position after refusing a controversial directive from the Trump administration. According to multiple U.S. media reports, Arrington was told to “resign or be fired” earlier this week.
Sources told CBS News that the dispute began when Arrington opposed giving one of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s historic swords to King Charles III during Donald Trump’s recent state visit. The sword, part of the library’s presidential collection, was requested as a diplomatic gift meant to symbolize the enduring U.S.–U.K. alliance forged during World War II.
Arrington allegedly resisted the order, arguing that the sword was a historic artifact that should remain in the museum. Instead, the Trump administration later presented a replica sword, donated by West Point the military academy where Eisenhower began his career.
The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, located in the former president’s hometown of Abilene, Kansas, is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
In an emotional statement to the Daily Mail, Arrington said,
“I’m very sad and upset frankly devastated and I have tried to reach out to higher-ups in the National Archives to reverse this.”
Reports from The New York Times also suggest that Arrington’s ouster may have been influenced by internal debates over a planned education center at the site.
Arrington’s resignation marks another flashpoint in the Trump administration’s growing control over U.S. cultural and historical institutions since his return to office in January. Several traditionally bipartisan boards have reportedly been restructured or replaced with Trump-aligned figures.
After decades of federal service, Arrington’s departure has sparked debate over political interference in America’s historical preservation system a question that may shape the future independence of national museums and archives.
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