Trump abruptly fires Librarian of Congress

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May 8, 2025

By Kyle Stewart and Nnamdi Egwuonwu, NBC

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in the Library’s Main Reading Room, September 1, 2020. (Shawn Miller/Library of Congress Life, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump fired the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, on Thursday, according to a copy of her termination email obtained by NBC News.

In the email sent to Hayden, Trent Morse, the deputy director of presidential personnel, wrote: “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.”

The email was shared with congressional Democrats and obtained by NBC News.

Principal Deputy Librarian Robert Newlen sent an email Thursday informing library employees of Hayden’s dismissal, according to a copy obtained by NBC News. Newlen said in the email that he will “assume the duties of acting Librarian of Congress until further instruction.”

A spokesperson for the Library of Congress later confirmed Hayden’s termination.

“Tonight, the White House informed Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden that she has been relieved of her position effective immediately,” the spokesperson said.

Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress in the institution’s 225-year history, was appointed by President Barack Obama in February 2016 and confirmed by the Senate in July 2016 in a bipartisan vote of 74-18.

She was the first woman and the first African American to occupy the role, milestones Obama called “long overdue.” In addition, she was the first Librarian of Congress to occupy the position without a lifetime appointment, with Obama signing a law in 2015 to establish a 10-year term for the Librarian of Congress. Her term was set to expire next year.

[…]

Democrats have roundly criticized Hayden’s dismissal, with Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which oversees the Library of Congress, accusing Trump of unfairly targeting a public servant.

The original article details that criticism.

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