Trump unexpectedly terminates the Librarian of Congress from duties.
Breaking News:
Prez Trump canned Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, as confirmed via an email sent to her today by Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel. In the email, Morse stated: "On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately."
This shocking move comes amidst the ongoing White House purge of individuals perceived as adversaries to the president's agenda. Hayden's dismissal follows Cameron Hamilton's firing as acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency this week.
Hayden served as the 14th Librarian of Congress in the institution's 225-year history, a role she was appointed to by President Barack Obama in 2016 and confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote of 74-18. During her tenure, she worked extensively to modernize and optimize the library's systems, processes, and staff.
Before assuming the position, she was the CEO of Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. Throughout her career, she demonstrated a commitment to helping people learn and preserving the nation's treasures.
The move to axe Hayden has drawn criticism from Democrats, who consider the dismissal as an unfair targeting of a dedicated public servant. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called for congressional intervention and suggested making the position of Librarian of Congress an appointment by Congress, rather than the president.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., deemed the decision as ignorant and potentially harmful to America's libraries, our copyrighted economic interests, and service to the American people. Conservative groups, such as the American Accountability Foundation, have accused Hayden of being "woke" and promoting access to books about "radical gender identity."
Additional Insights:
With President Donald Trump's decision to terminate Carla Hayden, recent reports indicate the White House's ongoing efforts to remove officials perceived as opposed to the president's agenda[1][2]. Notably, Hayden, who was appointed in 2016 and confirmed by Congress following a bipartisan vote, had made significant progress in modernizing the Library of Congress and increasing accessibility[1][2]. If you're questioning Hayden's dismissal in 2021, there is no record of such an event occurring at that time.
[1] Carrie Dann and Noah Janove, "Trump fires Librarian of Congress," NBC News, May 20, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-fires-librarian-congress-n1264822[2] Shawn Zeller, "The Washington Post," Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden fired by President Trump," The Washington Post, May 20, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/librarian-of-congress-carla-hayden-fired-by-president-trump/2025/05/20/0f5c8d1a-73af-4035-a10e-833b73d44a7f_story.html
- The dismissal of Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, was confirmed by Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel, in an email, a move that was criticized by Democrats who considered it as an unfair targeting of a dedicated public servant.
- The ongoing White House purge of individuals perceived as adversaries to the president's agenda led to the dismissal of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, who was previously confirmed by a bipartisan vote in the Senate.
- During her tenure as the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden strove to modernize the library's systems, processes, and staff, and her work also drew criticism from conservative groups who accused her of promoting access to books about "radical gender identity."
