Dr. Todd Arrington, the former director of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, resigned from his position on Monday after reportedly getting into a disagreement with the Trump administration over gifting King Charles III an original U.S. artifact.
Last month, the State Department compiled a series of potential gifts for President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to choose from to gift the royal family during the historic second state visit. Trump selected a sword belonging to Eisenhower for King Charles III, though it’s unclear which one.
But Arrington, a veteran and career historian for the National Parks, refused to provide the item from the Eisenhower Library because it had become federal property, according to The Last Campaign and CBS News.
The sword that Trump gifted to King Charles III was ultimately a replica of the original Eisenhower sword, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
Arrington’s refusal reportedly angered some members of the administration, including James Byron, the Special Assistant to Secretary of State Marco Rubio – who is currently overseeing the National Archives and Records Administration.
Sources told The Last Campaign that under pressure from the director of the Nixon Library and the acting executive of the Office of Presidential Libraries, Arrington resigned on Monday.
Arrington, 42, confirmed to CBS News on Thursday, saying he was pressure to “resign or be fired.”
“Apparently, they believed I could no longer be trusted with confidential information,” Arrington said, referring to the sword situation as well as an unrelated issue.
The Independent has asked the State Department and the National Archives for comment.
The White House does not play a formal role in hiring or firing decisions for the Presidential Libraries – the archives and museums fall under NARA. Byron is reportedly running day-to-day operations at NARA.
Arrington said he never spoke with anyone at the White House regarding the manner, only officials in the Foreign Gift Office and State Department.
Two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that no one confronted Arrington about the sword gifting and that conversations about finding a substitute were “polite.”
One administration official told the news outlet that Arrington is believed to have spoken critically of Trump and his administration.
Arrington denied that to CBS News, saying he “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 reiterated.
However, sources told The Last Campaign that there had been underlying tensions that led to Arrington’s pressured resignation – mostly having to do with reallocation of resources between presidential libraries and museums and private presidential foundations.
The construction of a new building for the Eisenhower Foundation on the grounds of the Eisenhower Library was another reason for his pressured resignation, he told CBS News.
Arrington has worked in the federal government for more than 25 years, with extensive experience serving as leadership at major historic sites such as the James A. Garfield National Historic Site Eisenhower National Historic Site, National Monument of America, and more.
He was appointed director of the Eisenhower Library in July 2024.
“If there’s any way for it to happen, I’d return to this job in a heartbeat,” Arrington told CBS News. “I love the job, I love the people, I love the history. I never in a million years wanted this to happen.”
NARA nor the Eisenhower Library has publicly announced Arrington’s departure.
