Todd Arrington, the head of the Dwight D Eisenhower Presidential Library, has stepped down following a contentious situation regarding a sword in the library's collection that was intended as a gift for King Charles during President Donald Trump's recent visit to the United Kingdom.
According to reports from CBS News, Arrington resigned after he declined to provide an original Eisenhower sword that belonged to the library to give to the King, which he deemed inappropriate. As a substitute, Buckingham Palace received a replica sword at the time of the visit.
During an interview, Arrington shared that he was given an ultimatum: Resign - or be fired. He expressed uncertainty about why he was perceived as untrustworthy by Trump administration officials, noting that the confidential information relating to the sword incident was erroneously linked to an unrelated matter.
The State Department's interest in presenting an Eisenhower sword was intended to symbolize the long-standing relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. post-World War II. Arrington insisted that as a donated artifact, it should not be given away and that alternative gifts could be considered.
In the end, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump presented King Charles with a replica of one of Eisenhower’s swords at Windsor Castle in September, as well as a vintage brooch for the Queen. This incident led to discontent among administration officials regarding Arrington's role in the selection of gifts.
Contrary to claims made about him, Arrington defended himself by stating he never uttered any disparaging remarks about Trump or his administration while discussing potential gifts for the King. He had been director of the Eisenhower Library since August 2024, a role managed by the National Archives, which retains hiring authority independent of the White House.
Arrington expressed a strong desire to return to his position, stating, 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.
