Trump abruptly fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden

Justin Papp, CQ-Roll Call on May 8, 2025

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President Donald Trump has fired Carla Hayden, the longtime head of the Library of Congress, in a move that Democratic lawmakers panned as “callous” and “ignorant.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., described Hayden as “accomplished, principled and distinguished” in a statement Thursday night.

“Donald Trump’s unjust decision to fire Dr. Hayden in an email 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,” Jeffries wrote.

Hayden was formally notified of her termination in an email from the White House’s presidential personnel department just before 7 p.m. Thursday, according to a copy of the email reviewed by CQ Roll Call.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and as of Thursday evening had not publicly announced her removal. A spokesperson for the Library of Congress confirmed that “the White House informed Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden that she has been relieved of her position.”

Statements from congressional Democrats poured in condemning the move.

“This is yet another example in the disturbing pattern of the President removing dedicated public servants without cause — likely to fill the position with one of his ‘friends’ who is not qualified and does not care about protecting America’s legacy,” wrote House Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro.

“This move undermines the foundational principles of our democracy and erodes public trust in our institutions. The Trump Administration must provide a transparent explanation for this decision,” the Connecticut Democrat continued.

Hayden was nominated to lead the Library of Congress by President Barack Obama and was sworn in for a 10-year term in September 2016. She was the first woman and the first African American to serve in the position.

Her firing comes days after she testified before the Senate Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee and the House Administration Committee, where ranking member Rep. Joseph D. Morelle noted Trump’s attacks on cultural institutions, including libraries and museums.

“If this effort succeeds, libraries in virtually all our districts around the country will be forced to close their doors. Even the Smithsonian has come under fire, absurdly accused of promoting improper and corrosive ideology merely for presenting historical facts that the president finds inconvenient,” the New York Democrat said. “It doesn’t take much imagination to see the Library of Congress next in the crosshairs, and I’m very concerned about it.”

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with buildings located on the Capitol campus. While it is a legislative branch agency, the president has statutory authority to appoint the head of the Library of Congress, with Senate confirmation.

Morelle vowed on Thursday to introduce legislation that would ensure the Librarian of Congress is appointed by Congress.

“Tonight, President Trump fired a patriotic public servant. The Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, has spent her entire career serving people — from helping kids learn to read to protecting some of our nation’s most precious treasures. She is an American hero,” Morelle said in a statement.

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(Niels Lesniewski contributed to this report.)

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