Eisenhower Library Director Ousted After Sword Refusal

Ahead of his state visit to Britain, the Trump administration sought an Eisenhower-related artifact to present to King Charles, reportedly via a State Department liaison using a personal email address — “giftgirl2025.” The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library declined to release any original artifacts, saying such items are U.S. government property it is legally required to preserve, and President Trump instead presented a replica of Eisenhower’s West Point officer’s sabre. Days after the visit, library director Todd Arrington was pressured to resign or was forced out; Arrington said he was told he “could no longer be trusted with confidential information” and expressed disbelief after nearly 30 years of government service. It remains unclear whether the refusal to provide an original sword directly caused his ouster, and some reports say Arrington had also angered officials at the National Archives and Records Administration by sharing internal information with staff.