Trump Abruptly Fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden Via Email
Carla Hayden, the first woman and first Black American to lead the Library of Congress, has been abruptly removed from her post by Donald Trump. The news broke late on May 8 when it was revealed that Hayden received her termination notice by email, sparking widespread criticism from lawmakers and advocates across the country.
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Hayden, a respected librarian and former CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2016 and confirmed by the Senate in 2017. Her historic appointment was seen as a significant step forward for both diversity and leadership in one of the country’s most important cultural institutions.
During her tenure, Hayden led several modernization efforts at the Library of Congress and was especially focused on initiatives like “Of the People,” which aimed to expand the institution’s collections to include more works by and about people of color. The initiative was praised for making the library’s vast resources more reflective of America’s diversity. However, it also placed Hayden in the crosshairs of critics who oppose diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts—critics that Trump has repeatedly sided with in recent years.
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Just days before her dismissal, Hayden appeared before Congress to answer questions about delays and rising costs tied to a modernization project at the library. Though the hearing was tense, it wasn’t expected to result in immediate consequences. That changed when she was informed of her removal through a short email sent at 6:56 p.m. ET—an unusual and widely criticized way to end a high-level federal appointment.
Democrats were quick to respond. New York Rep. Joe Morelle called the firing “a complete disgrace” and warned that it would hurt the country’s libraries, copyright protections, and public services. Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, who described Hayden as a personal friend, also condemned the move, praising her for championing equal access to learning. “The Library of Congress represents some of the best America has to offer,” he said.
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Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico added, “While President Trump wants to ban books and tell Americans what to read—or not to read at all—Dr. Hayden has devoted her career to making the pursuit of knowledge available to everyone.”
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As of now, the White House has not provided a public explanation for the firing. Critics have noted that the sudden dismissal aligns with Trump’s broader pattern of targeting government officials who support DEI initiatives or challenge his agenda.
Hayden’s exit raises serious questions about the future of the Library of Congress, which not only serves as the largest library in the world but also oversees the U.S. Copyright Office. It remains unclear who will be named as her replacement or how the library’s ongoing projects will be affected.
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Trump Abruptly Fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden Via Email was originally published on ronerickeysmileymorningshow.staging.go.ione.nyc