The U.S. archivist Trump fired last year got Obama, Bush and Clinton to write about giving up power

The U.S. archivist who was dismissed by President Donald Trump last year, Colleen Shogan, oversaw a project called the In Pursuit series. This series, a 250th anniversary commemoration, asked historians and authors to write about different presidents and first ladies, aiming to foster historical lessons for the present and future.

The project's curator, Shogan, instructed contributors to avoid political bias by focusing on historical facts and events. Among the contributors were former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton, who shared their perspectives on leadership and the limits of power. Bush's essay highlighted George Washington's humility in relinquishing power after two terms, an example of "No Kings" leadership that influenced modern presidential norms.

Meanwhile, McChrystal's essay on Ulysses S. Grant emphasized the importance of adhering to law over personal loyalty, a principle that remains relevant today. Despite Shogan's efforts to promote nonpartisan history, the archivist's dismissal remains unexplained, leaving Congress uncertain about the reason.