Director Of Eisenhower Presidential Library/Museum Lost His Job

Todd Arrington, director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, resigned in October 2025 after reportedly being pressured to do so by Trump administration officials. The pressure stemmed from Arrington's refusal to remove an original Eisenhower-owned sword from the library's collection to be gifted to King Charles III during Trump's visit.

Arrington may have responded differently, but the request came form someone using a personal email, not a government email, so he dismissed it.

And when you're a Trump staffer, you act like a King, so Arrington was fired, and Trump had to use a replica.

Trump certainly thinks he's a king.

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SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

He wanted to use a national museum as his personal gift shop? 😂

The King cannot personally accept a gift worth more than a small nominal value. The sword (or its replica) would be stored (and hopefully publicly displayed) with the royal art collection. ⚔

Northwest · M

@SunshineGirl The guy sent the request through his personal email. The sword he sent is a replica.

dpoet · 36-40, M

@SunshineGirl most countries have national museums with state gifts. it's very normal actually. but gifts are given to the state or to the president. it's the president not the person that is the president. gifts belong to the state. they don't belong to the person that is the president. that's how it works in every civilised and developed democracy

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@dpoet By the same token, the president cannot choose to give away artefacts that have been left in trust to the nation.

dpoet · 36-40, M

@SunshineGirl it depends on the coutry. in the United States the President is only a temporary custodian of artifacts and gifts entrusted to the nation. these items are public property belonging to the American people and are managed by institutions such as the National Archives, the Smithsonian, or the General Services Administration. the President cannot lawfully give away, sell, or dispose of them, whether by personal choice or executive order. only Congress has the authority to authorize their transfer or disposal. Under the Presidential Records Act, all materials created or received by the President while in office belong to the U.S. government and form part of the nation’s historical and cultural record.

dpoet · 36-40, M

@SunshineGirl so with congress approval surely he could.

also, the king personally couldn't accept the gift. but the crown could. they accept it all the time. it's very normal actually. official gifts received in an official capacity, such as during a state visit, belong to the Crown, not the individual monarch.
They’re held in trust becoming part of the Royal Collection or managed by the Royal Collection Trust. Such items are catalogued, conserved, and often displayed publicly.