The head of the Eisenhower Presidential Library was forced to resign this week. The resignation comes after he reportedly refused to give away a sword from the library’s museum that the Trump administration wanted to gift to King Charles III.
Ahead of Trump’s recent state visit to the U.K., the administration was looking for a symbolic gift for King Charles. Ultimately, the administration decided it wanted to gift the king a sword that Dwight D. Eisenhower once owned, in honor of his role as Supreme Allied Commander during World War II.
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The sword
The administration was specifically requesting Napoleon Bonaparte’s sword, which was gifted to Eisenhower in 1945. The sword, along with others of significance, is displayed at the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
However, when a State Department liaison emailed about borrowing one — using a personal account under the name “Giftgirl2025” — the library director said no. He explained that when the sword was donated to the museum, the artifact became the shared property of the American people.
Arrington told officials he could help find an alternative gift, but State Department officials persisted, according to CBS.
Ultimately, Trump gifted King Charles a replica — a cadet saber from West Point.
Museum director resigns
Now, less than a month after Trump’s visit to the U.K., director Todd Arrington said he has been forced to resign.
After 30 years in government service, he told The New York Times and CBS News that he was told he could “no longer be trusted with confidential information.”
Following his resignation, an administration official told CBS that Arrington was believed to have spoken critically about the president and the administration. However, Arrington denied ever criticizing the Trump administration.
“I never said a bad word about anybody. I talked to colleagues about trying to find a sword or artifact, something we could give to them for the president to give to the king, and at no time did I disparage anyone,” Arrington said.
He said he believes the sword standoff may have cost him his job.
Arrington is less than five years away from retirement eligibility, according to CBS News. He said he is hoping to find a new job at a different federal agency.
However, he added, “If there’s any way for it to happen, I’d return to this job in a heartbeat. I love the job, I love the people, I love the history. I never in a million years wanted this to happen.”
Other items gifted to UK royals
During their visit, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump exchanged several gifts with Britain’s royal family.
Trump gave Camilla a Tiffany diamond and ruby flower brooch. King Charles gave Trump a leather-bound book marking the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary. Melania Trump received a silver and enamel bowl, created by Northern Ireland artist Cara Murphy, as well as an Anya Hindmarch handbag.
