Donald Trump has fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African American to hold the position, the Washington Post reported, adding that she "was informed of the decision in a terse, two-sentence e-mail" sent late Thursday.
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Hayden was appointed to the position in 2016 by President Barack Obama. Her renewable 10-year term would have expired next year. Hayden was also the first librarian by profession to be appointed to the job in decades. A Library of Congress spokesperson confirmed her dismissal to the Post, but declined to elaborate. Hayden and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The e-mail from the White House deputy director of presidential personnel, which was seen by the Post, said: "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. Thank you for your service."
The Associated Press noted that earlier yesterday, the American Accountability Foundation, "a conservative advocacy group that had vowed to root out those standing in the way of Trump’s agenda," had posted on X: “The current #LibrarianOfCongress Carla Hayden is woke, anti-Trump, and promotes trans-ing kids. It’s time to get her OUT and hire a new guy for the job!"
In a separate e-mail seen by the AP, Robert Newlen, the principal deputy librarian, said he would serve as acting Librarian of Congress "until further instruction."
House minority leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D.-N.Y.) said in a statement that Hayden "is an accomplished, principled and distinguished Librarian of Congress... Donald Trump's unjust decision to fire Dr. Hayden in an e-mail sent by a random political hack is a disgrace and the latest in his ongoing effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock."
In a statement, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D.-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, called for the White House to explain its decision: "Every Member of Congress I know--Democratic or Republican--loves and respects Dr. Carla Hayden. A 'fighter of freedom' and a guardian of our nation's truth and intellectual legacy, Dr. Hayden was just abruptly and callously fired by President Trump.... Dr. Hayden's tenure has been marked by a steadfast commitment to accessibility, modernization, and the democratization of knowledge. Her dismissal is not just an affront to her historic service but a direct attack on the independence of one of our most revered institutions."