3w ago

US archivist ousted after refusing to let Trump give Eisenhower’s sword to King Charles – reports

www.theguardian.com

The Eisenhower Presidential Library’s director has exited his position after advocating against giving a sword from the collection to King Charles as a gift during Donald Trump’s recent state visit, according to US media reports on Thursday.
Todd Arrington left his post on Monday after being told to “resign or be fired”, he told CBS News, which did not specify who had relayed the message to the historian.
The library and museum – located in former US president Dwight D Eisenhower’s home town in Abilene, Kansas – is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (Nara).

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3w ago

US archivist ousted after refusing to let Trump give Eisenhower’s sword to King Charles – reports

www.theguardian.com /us-news/2025/oct/03/us-archivist-ousted-after-refusing-to-let-trump-give-eisenhowers-sword-to-king-charles

22 comments

The nation's treasures are not Trump's to give.
- In a dictatorship he can do as he pleases, so unfortunately they are his to give.
- I mean, the North American continent is also not white Europeans' to inhabit. So - I don't see any problem with this, times change. And other countries are not US' to make choices for.
  But some humiliation after all that "checks and balances" pride will be refreshing eventually. It's an obvious and thus little seen truth that "checks and balances" can be used to build any kind of mechanism. Your country has achieved private surveillance and private censorship and private racial segregation. You'll deliver.
  
  It actually amazes me how resilient its be. The major check on this is the senate and the supreme court but while the founders realized there would be all sorts of parties and philosophies vying for control it did not seem to occur to them that such a massive number of self respecting people would go against freedom, democracy, individual rights and essentially everything the country was built on. They ultimately assumed they would be americans.
- Well, technically, I think they are. Yet another example of how poor a system the founders set up.
Stop fucking resigning ffs!
Make them drag you out!
- You can’t collect unemployment if you quit.
  
  This is a pet peeve of mine, because there are many cases where you can claim unemployment if you quit. The myth exists specifically to deter people from filing, even when they’re fully allowed to do so. It’s basically like one of those “Keep Back 200 Feet; Not Responsible For Broken Windshields” signs that gravel trucks all have posted on their tails. They are 100% liable for it, but the sign deters people from trying to claim.
  This would actually be a shining example of a case where you can likely claim unemployment. The employer specifically stated that they intended to fire the archivist if they didn’t quit. We (and the archivist’s labor attorney) have proof of this, based on the employer’s own statements. The employer may initially try to contest the claim, but an appeal will allow you to present the evidence (the employer’s claims) and argue that you should be able to claim even though you “quit”.
  
  So why are they quitting?
Honestly, why do they all just cave? Is there no one with a spine in that godforsaken country?
- Historians aren't really known for wanting to be in the center of political battles.
  
  But he put himself in the center when he refused to give up the sword.
- methinks government is where the spineless go
I mean we would just give it back you when dumpy dies or is ousted.
- Have you been to the British Museum?
  We're not great at giving stuff back
- Tbf, England doesn't have a good track record when it comes to returning culturally significant items ....
- Trump against precedence keeps the gifts given to him rather than them going to a museum. As such I would appreciate it if you guys gifted him a clue.
  
  Unfortunately we don't have a lot of those ourselves these days
https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/press-releases/todd-arrington-appointed-director-dwight-d-eisenhower-presidential-library-and
The people of Abilene should hide the sword, before the bandits pilfer it.
Babe, wake up, a new Isekai anime plot just dropped.

22 comments