National Portrait Gallery

Trump fires director of National Portrait Gallery for partisanship, DEI support

The president made the announcement in a Truth Social post, citing DEI concerns

Wave at the Presidents at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum
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President Donald Trump is terminating the director of the National Portrait Gallery, he announced on Truth Social Friday.

In the post, he said he would be terminating Director Kim Sajet “upon the request and recommendation of many people.”

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“She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position,” he wrote. “Her replacement will be named shortly.”

Sajet was appointed as director in 2013 by former President Barack Obama. She is a Dutch citizen and was previously president of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Her work at the Portrait Gallery included encouraging representation of women and people of color through exhibits and projects.

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On May 8, Trump fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden via email. In February, he dismissed leadership of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and became the center’s chairman.

This term, the president has made ending DEI practices and initiatives a focus in the federal government.

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