President Donald Trump has fired Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first African American to serve as Librarian of Congress, igniting swift condemnation from lawmakers, scholars and advocates across the country.
The firing, which occurred via a brief email sent from the White House, marks another controversial removal of a public servant under Trump’s second term.
“Carla, 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,” read the terse message sent by Deputy Director of Presidential Personnel Trent Morse.
Dr. Hayden, a widely respected librarian and former CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in 2016 with a bipartisan 74–18 vote. Her 10-year term was scheduled to expire next year.
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the dismissal “a disgrace.”
“Donald Trump’s unjust decision to fire Dr. Hayden in an email sent by a random political hack is the latest in his ongoing effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said Trump’s “outrageous, politically motivated move to fire her is despicable,” noting that Dr. Hayden had served “with honor and distinction, bringing our prized institution to new heights.”
The Library of Congress confirmed it had been notified of Dr. Hayden’s termination by the White House.
The Associated Press reported that the American Accountability Foundation, a conservative group closely aligned with Trump’s political allies, had recently criticized Hayden and other library officials for promoting what it called “radical” themes in children’s books.
The termination of Hayden adds to growing concern over Trump’s efforts to politicize historically nonpartisan institutions.
Lauren Burke, a journalist with Black Press USA and Black Virginia News, reported that fears are mounting that the Trump administration may also target Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch, another high-profile Black leader in federal service.
Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico said Hayden “brought the Library of Congress to the people, with initiatives that reached into rural communities and made the Library accessible to all Americans.”
“While President Trump wants to ban books and tell Americans what to read – or not to read at all,” Heinrich continued, “Dr. Hayden has devoted her career to making reading and the pursuit of knowledge available to everyone. Be like Dr. Hayden.”
House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro said the move “undermines the foundational principles of our democracy and erodes public trust in our institutions.”
She described Hayden as “a fighter of freedom and a guardian of our nation’s truth and intellectual legacy,” and called the dismissal a “direct attack on the independence of one of our most revered institutions.”
Sen. Alex Padilla of California called the decision “deeply troubling” and “just the latest example of Trump’s assault on the legislative branch of government.”
“The Library of Congress is the People’s Library,” DeLauro added. “There will be accountability for this unprecedented assault on the American way of life sooner rather than later.”
