Todd Arrington, a profession historian who beforehand held posts with the Nationwide Park Service and Nationwide Archives and Information Administration, stepped down on Monday as director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood House.
Sources mentioned Arrington’s departure got here after he resisted taking an authentic Eisenhower sword out of the library’s assortment to offer to King Charles final month throughout President Trump’s unprecedented second state go to to the UK.
4 U.S. officers concerned within the lavish royal go to have been unaware that the library director had left his job, and mentioned the White Home performed no function in his exit.
King Charles III and President Trump examine the Guard of Honor through the State go to by the President of america of America at Windsor Fort, Sept. 17, 2025, in Windsor, England.
Anna Moneymaker / Getty Pictures
In an announcement final month, Buckingham Palace didn’t specify which sword was given to the monarch, however famous that Charles was given a duplicate, saying the reward “symbolizes profound respect and is a reminder of the historical partnership that was critical to winning World War II.”
A former Military common, Eisenhower possessed a number of swords, together with a Sword of Honor given to him in 1947 by town of London for his function as allied supreme commander throughout World Struggle II, an honor saber gifted to him by the Netherlands in 1947, and his West Level officer saber.
It isn’t clear who particularly requested the sword. First woman Melania Trump personally determined which presents to offer Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their youngsters, a senior administration official mentioned.
Officers on the State Division who compiled an array of reward choices for the primary couple, sought an Eisenhower sword to reiterate the importance of the U.S.-U.Ok. relationship since World Struggle II, sources mentioned. However Arrington argued in opposition to giving freely an artifact that had been accepted as a donation and had turn into the property of the American folks.
Arrington instructed officers he might assist discover another reward, however sources say State Division officers persevered. The library’s crew supplied to assist discover a reproduction.
Finally, West Level offered a pretend model of Eisenhower’s sword from the army academy.
Some within the Trump administration have been sad with Arrington, sources mentioned.
Two sources near the matter mentioned nobody mentioned something to Arrington about being upset about not with the ability to have a museum piece — the conversations earlier than the U.Ok. journey about discovering an alternative to the true sword have been well mannered and tension-free.
One administration official mentioned Arrington was believed to have spoken critically concerning the president and the administration.
The White Home performs no formal function in hiring or firing administrators of presidential libraries which are a part of the Nationwide Archives system. The obligation of hiring library administrators falls as a substitute to the archivist of america, who oversees NARA. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is serving as performing archivist, and James Byron, a senior adviser to the archivist, is working day-to-day operations for NARA.
Arrington began in August 2024 as director of the Eisenhower library, in Abilene, Kansas, one in every of 16 presidential libraries or museums operated by NARA, together with people who can be constructed for Mr. Trump and former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The president’s son, Eric Trump, introduced this week their household plans to at some point assemble the Trump library and museum in Miami.
Extra from CBS Information
