Trump's Battle with the Library of Congress is fundamentally an attempt to challenge the balance of governmental authorities
Spunky Scuffle
Washington sizzles over book shelf quarrel
It's all fun and games with the books, but the real fire is brewing between the White House and the Library of Congress, in a power tussle that threatens to engulf America's history and copyrights.
President Trump's hasty dismissal of top Library officials and his attempts to install loyalists in their places has morphed into a ferocious battle over the separation of powers. The White House is pushing to seize control of an institution that has stood as a legislative bulwark for centuries.
The Library of Congress is not just a vault of books but also a repository of immense, copyrighted material valued beyond measure. Its servers protect sensitive data about workplace violations on Capitol Hill, Financial breakdowns involving over 30,000 legislative branch employees, and disputes over the rights of big tech companies to utilize copyrighted material for artificial intelligence applications.
This battleground has provoked surprisingly firm resistance from Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, who are engaging in rare verbal sparring with a president eager to flex his political muscles. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and others are in talks with the White House, hoping to broker a truce between the two branches of government.
The Library of Congress finds itself in limbo as a result. Despite Trump's appointment of loyalists like Todd Blanche, a former attorney general, to interim roles, these new entrants have not challenged the library's claim that one of its long-standing veterans continues to serve as the acting head. Such a situation would be highly unusual, as an executive branch official would not typically hold a position in the legislative branch, according to experts.
While the fight rages, the Department of Government Efficiency lurks, eager to delve into the legislative branch's offices, a move that leaders there have flatly refused.
"This intrusive invasion of the legislature by the executive branch is simply unwarranted and, in our opinion, previously unheard of," said New York Rep. Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which oversees the Library of Congress.
One firing, then another... then another question about who's in charge
The fireworks commenced publicly last week, following the abrupt termination of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, despite having a year left on her 10-year tenure. Trump justified the move by citing Hayden's alleged questionable diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as children's books deemed inappropriate by the White House.
Following Hayden's dismissal, Todd Blanche, a Justice Department official, was chosen to serve as interim librarian, while two other officials, Brian Nieves and Paul Perkins, were appointed to senior posts. Upon trying to enter the U.S. Copyright Office on Monday, the trio was denied access by the library, leaving voluntarily after Capitol Police were called.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune revealed that Congress had not been consulted prior to Hayden's firing. He explained that there was a need to safeguard the interests of the legislative branch, stating that negotiations with the White House were expected to extend into next week.
Challenges and Liabilities
The political battle over the Library of Congress has far-reaching ramifications, particularly with regards to research and information security. Lawmakers and staff are wary of the administration interfering with the Congressional Research Service, a non-partisan think tank providing critical information and research services to members of Congress. The conversations between lawmakers and the Congressional Research Service are considered highly sensitive and protected by the speech and debate clause of the Constitution.
Concerns intensify with potential damage to the Library's databases containing financial information on legislative branch employees, including staff members from Congress, the Capitol Police, the Architect of the Capitol, and the Government Accountability Office. Furthermore, the Library of Congress houses the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, which acts as the human resources department for the legislative branch, addressing issues related to workplace violations, harassment, and discrimination.
In a series of emails obtained by The Associated Press, DOGE officials – supporting the administration's efforts to streamline government – reached out to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights to discuss assigning one of their teams there. However, the Office promptly turned down the request, stating that it was a legislative body and not subject to the administration's executive orders.
The Mystery of the Copyright Office
Some speculate that the Copyright Office, which is housed within the Library of Congress and led by an appointee of the Librarian, is the real target of the administration's machinations. Shortly before the firing of the Copyright Office's director, her office released a report examining the legality of using copyrighted material for AI purposes. Tech companies argue that this is legal for educational, research, or original creation purposes, while critics claim that it exceeds fair use boundaries, particularly when the AI-generated content competes with human-made creative works.
The material in the Copyright Office is incredibly valuable, with potential copyright violation damages for its existing collection estimated to surpass $1.5 trillion.
New York Rep. Joe Morelle noted that the firing occurred "on the heels of a report that contradicts Elon Musk's views on intellectual property and copyright." Musk, a billionaire outside advisor to Trump, operates his own AI startup. The White House has not responded to requests for comment.
- The political clash over the Library of Congress has raised concerns in the business world, particularly in tech giants like Microsoft, as the library houses the Copyright Office, which governs the rights of big tech companies to utilize copyrighted material for artificial intelligence applications.
- Seattle's general news outlets have covered the ongoing power struggle between the White House and the Library of Congress, highlighting the government's interest in policy-and-legislation and politics during the war-and-conflicts-riddled times, as the Library of Congress safeguards sensitive data about workplace violations, financial breakdowns, and disputes regarding the use of copyrighted material for AI applications.
- Amidst the chaos, the folks in education have been keeping a close eye on the Library of Congress saga, as the White House's attempt to seize control could impact the Library's diverse collection, including books deemed inappropriate by the White House, which has raised questions about the government's stance on diversity and inclusion.
- As the Library of Congress finds itself in limbo, policy-and-legislation experts have taken the opportunity to scrutinize the administration's actions, questioning the executive branch's eagerness to delve into the legislative branch's offices, a move that leaders there have rejected as unwarranted and unprecedented.
